o 


6^ 


SWEDISH  FAIRY  TALES 


BY 

HERMAN  HOFBERG;:*' 


TRANSLATED   BY    W.    H.    MYERS. 


CHICAGO: 

BELFORD-CLARKE   CO, 
1890. 


COPYRIGHT  BY 

BELFORD, CLARKE  &  CO. 

1888. 


It  is  probably  known  to  most  readers  that  there  is  a  distinction 
between  Tradition  and  Saga.  Tradition  has,  or  at  least  seems  to 
have,  to  do  with  facts,  usually  designating  some  particular  spot  or 
region  where  the  incident  is  said  to  have  taken  place,  often  even 
giving  the  names  of  actors,  while  the  Saga  is  entirely  free  in  its 
scope,  equally  as  regards  incident,  and  the  time  and  place  of  its 
happening.  Not  infrequently  the  traditions  of  a  people  are  founded 
upon  actual  historical  occurrences,  which,  often  repeated  in  the 
naive  manner  of  the  peasantry,  become,  finally,  folk-lore.  A  great 
many  are,  however,  drawn  from  ancient  myths,  which,  in  time, 
become  clad  in  historical  garb,  and  are  located  in  some  particular 
place. 

We  already  possess  various  collections  of  traditions  drawn  from 
the  rich  treasury  of  our  peasantry,  but  up  to  the  present  there  has 
been  no  attempt  at  a  formulated  compilation  of  Swedish  folk-lore. 
As  I  now  put  into  the  hands  of  the  public  such  a  collection,  I  ought 
to  state  that  I  have  thought  it  better  to  select  the  most  typical  of  our 
traditions  than  to  gather  everything  that  I  might  in  this  line,  much 
of  which  has  already  been  written,  and  which  would  require  a  many 
times  larger  volume,  and  occasion  a  repetition  of  the  same  matter 
when  occurring,  as  many  do,  in  different  localities.  Instead,  I  have 
accompanied  each  tale  with  a  historical  and  ethnographical  note  in 
which  I  have  so  stated  if  the  tradition  is  found  in  different  places. 

The  illustrations  are  the  product  of  several  among  our  best 
artists.  Without  doubt,  the  book  has  thereby  been  added  to  greatly, 
not  only  in  outer  adornment,  but  even  in  national  and  intrinsic 
value. 


An  interest  in  the  Swedish  people,  their  language,  their  litera- 
ture and  history;  the  important  part  the  traditions  of  a  people  play 
in  their  history,  character  and  domestic  life,  and  that  the  traditions 
of  the  world  play  in  its  history  and  that  of  mankind,  and  that  I 
would,  if  possible,  add  to  the  growing  interest  in  that  far-away, 
beautiful  country,  and  that  generous,  hospitable  people,  have  been 
the  incentives  to  the  labor  involved  in  this  translation  ;  a  labor  not 
unmixed  with  pleasure,  and  not  a  little  of  that  pleasure  coming  from 
the  encouragement  of  my  Swedish  acquaintances 

No  embellishment  and  not  more  than  a  faithful  reproduction  of 
the  author's  ideas  have  been  attempted,  and  I  shall  be  happy,  indeed, 
if  I  have  done  so  excellent  a  writer  as  Mr.  Hofberg,  approximate 
justice  in  this  regard. 

I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  leave  out  a  number  of  the  author's 
notes  as  unimportant,  and  not  likely  to  interest  the  general  reader, 
also  to  follow  the  stories  with  their  rotes  instead  of  grouping  them 
in  the  back  of  the  book  as  in  the  original. 


PAGE. 

AUTHOR'S  PREFACE,         .                      ......  3 

TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE 4 

SKANE. 

LJUNGBY  HORN  AND  PIPE 31 

STOMPE  PILT, 15 

THE  GHOST  AT  FJELKINGE 38 

THE  GIANT  FINN  AND  LUND'S  CATIIEDUAL,        ...  17 

THE  LORD  OF  ROSENDAL 20 

THE  MASTER  OF  UGERUP ^    .  23 

THE  SURE  SHOT, 11 

BLEKINGE. 

THE  KNIGHT  OF  ELLENHOLM 39 

THE  SWAN  MAIDEN, 35 

SMALAND. 

DAME  SOASAN, 47 

EBBE  SKAMELSON, 60 

JOHAN  AND  THE  TROLLS 65 

KATRINEHOLM  MANOR,             . 55 

KETTIL  RUNSKE 45 

THE  GIANT  PUKE,              ........  52 

THE  LOST  TREASURE 69 

THE  TROLLS  OF  SKURUGATA,           ......  42 

GOTLAND. 

THE  BYSE,    .'..,......  77 

THE  SEA  NYMPH, 75 

THE  TEN  FAIRY  SERVANTS, 71 

OLAND. 

THE  BRIDGE  OVER  KALMARSOUND,        .....  78 

V 


VI  CONTENTS. 

HALLAND. 

ELSTORP  WOODS 84 

THE  FREEBOOTER'S  GUAVE, 89 

THE  PIGMY  OF  FOLKARED'S  CLIFF 86 

THE  YOUNG  LADY  OF  HELLERUP 80 

BOHUSLAN. 

GLOSHED'S  ALTAR 95 

HALDE-HAT, 99 

KING  RANE  AND  QUEEN  HUDTA,          .  107 

THE  BRIDAL  PRESENT, 97 

THE  CHILD  PHANTOM, 105 

THE  GIANT  MAIDEN  IN  BORASEROD  MOUNTAIN,    .  .  .91 

THE  GOLDEN  CRADLE, 102 

VESTERGOTLAND. 

BISHOP  SVEDBERG  AND  THE  DEVIL,             ....  117 

THE  COUNTESS  OF  HOJENTORP, Ill 

THE  GIANT  OF  SKALUNDA 113 

THE  KNIGHTS  OF  ALLABERG, 109 

THE  TREASURE  IN  SABY  CREEK 119 

THE  TROLLS  IN  RESSLARED, 115 

OSTERGOTLAND. 

LADY  BARBRO  OF  BROKIND, 129 

THE  CAT  OF  NORRHULT .  126 

THE  TOMTS 122 

THE  TROLL  SHOES 134 

THE  URKO  OF  NORTH  WIJ 131 

DAL. 

BURIED  ALIVE 140 

THE  MOUNTAIN  KITCHEN, 138 

THE  WOOD  AND  SEA  NYMPHS, 136 

VERMANLAND. 

JONAS  SPITS 141 

LADY  RANGELA  OF  EDSHOLM 143 

SAXE  OF  SAXEHOLM, 145 

THE  HARVESTERS, 149 

THE  POLITE  COAL  BURNER,          .  147 


CONTENTS.  vi  J 

NARIKE. 

KATE  OF  YSATTER, 155 

RUGGA  BRIDGE, 153 

THE  ELVES'  DANCE, 159 

THE  FIDDLER  AND  THE  SEA  NYMPH 162 

THE  ULFGRYT  STONES, .150 

VESTERMANLAND. 

BOLSTRE  CASTLE 174 

THE  COAL  BURNER  AND  THE  TROLL 169 

THE  SNIPE, 164 

TIBBLE  CASTLE  AND  KLINTA  SPRING,               .           .           .           .  166 

SODERMANLAND. 

LAKE  GOLDRING 184 

THE  CHANGELINGS 176 

THE  LADY  OF  PINTORP 179 

THE  TROLL  GARDEN  AT  STALLSBACKE 187 

UPLAND. 

HERR  MELKER  OF  VECKHOLM, 189 

THE  OLD  MAN  OF  LOGGA 192 

DALARNE. 

BOLSBJORN 197 

THE  LAPP  IN  MAGPIE  FORM, 200 

THE  PLAGUE .  .  .203 

THE  TREASURE  SEEKERS,         . 198 

THE  WATER  NYMPH, 194 

GESTRIKLAND. 
THE  VATTERS, .  .  .205 

HELSINGLAND. 

FORSSA  CHURCH 208 

MEDELPAD. 

STARKAD  AND  BALE 209 

ANGERMANLAND. 
i 

THE  BELL  IN  SJALEVAD, 212 


viii  CONTENTS. 

HERJEDALEN. 

THE  VATT'S  STOREHOUSE, 214 

JAMTLAND. 

THE  STONE  IN  GRONAN  DAL 216 

VESTERBOTTEN. 

THE  VOYAGE  IN  A  LAPP  SLED 218 

LAPPLAND. 

KADNIHAK 227 

THE  CUNNING  LAPP 224 

THE  GIANT'S  BRIDE, 221 

THE  LAPP  GENESIS  OR  THE  FIRST  OF  MANKIND,  .          .  219 


gist 


PAGE. 

BISHOP  SVEDBERG  AND  THE  DEVIL,       .  .  .  .  ,117 

BOLSTRE  CASTLE 174 

DAME  SOASAN, 47 

HALDE— HAT, 99 

HERR  MELKER  IN  VECKHOLM 189 

JOHAN  AND  THE  TROLLS,  ......  65 

JONAS  SPITS, 141 

KATE  OF  YSATTER,      ,....,,.         155 
KATRINEHOLM  MANOR,  .  .  .55 

LADY  BARBRO  OF  BROKIND,       ......         129 

STARKAD  AND  BALE .    209 

THE  BRIDGE  OVER  KALMARSOUND 78 

THE  BELL  IN  SJALEVAD, £12 

THE  CHILD  PHANTOM,  .  ...         lO'i 

THE  COAL  BURNER  AND  THE  TROLL,      .  ...    169 

THE  CUNNING  LAPP,  .  224 

THE  ELVES'  DANCE, 159 

THE  GHOST  OF  FJELKINGE 28 

THE  GIANT  MAIDEN  IN  BORASEROD  MOUNTAIN,    .  .  .91 

THE  GIANT  OF  SKALUNDA 113 

THE  KNIGHTS  OF  ALL ABERG, 109 

THE  LADY  OF  PINTORP,       .  .         179 

THE  LAPP  IN  MAGPIE  FORM,  .    200 

THE  LORD  OF  ROSENDAL, 20 

THE  MOUNTAIN  KITCHEN,       .  ...    138 

THE  PIGMY  OF  FOLKARED  CLIFF, 86 

THE  POLITE  COAL  BURNER, 147 

THE  SNIPE, 164 

THE  STONE  IN  GRONAN  DAL, 216 

THE  SURE  SHOT 11 

THE  SWAN  MAIDEN,  .    55 

THE  TEN  FAIRY  SERVANTS,          ...  71 

THE  TOMTS, .122 

THE  TROLL  GARDEN  AT  STALLSBACKE,       ....         187 

THE  TROLLS  OF  SKURUGATA, 41 

THE  TROLL  SHOES,       .  ...  .134 

THE  ULFGRYT  STONES,  .    150 

THE  VATTERS, .205 

THE  VATT'S  STOREHOUSE,       .  ... 

THE  WATER  NYMPH, I»4 

THE  YOUNG  LADY  OF  HELLERUP,  .....     80 

IX 


It  is  not  alone  in  Bohemia's  mountainous  regions 
that  the  romantic  characters  are  found  which  form  the 

*See  also  Skane  Gamraalt  Och  Nytt. 

11 


13  SKANE. 

basis  of  Weber's  immortal  fictions.  Similar  traditions 
are  current  in  many  lands,  especially  in  ours,  one  of 
which  we  will  now  relate. 

In  the  artless  fancy  of  the  peasantry  the  means  of 
acquiring  the  power  of  unerring  aim  are  many,  the 
most  usual  by  compact  with  the  Fairies  or  Wood 
Nymphs.  While  the  compact  lasts  the  possessor,  sit- 
ting at  his  hut  door,  needs  only  to  wish,  and  the  game 
of  his  choice  springs  into  view,  and  within  range  of  his 
never-failing  gun.  Such  a  compact,  however,  invari- 
ably ends  in  the  destruction  of  the  hunter. 

Many  years  ago  there  was  a  watchman  up  in  the 
Goinge  regions,  a  wild  fellow,  who,  one  evening,  while 
drinking  with  his  neighbors,  more  tipsy  and  more 
talkative  as  the  hour  grew  late,  boasted  loudly  of  his 
marksmanship,  and  offered  to  wager  that,  with  his 
trusty  gun,  he  could  give  them  such  an  exhibition  of 
skill  as  they  had  never  before  seen. 

"  There  goes,  as  I  speak,"  said  he,  "  a  roe  on  Hal- 
land's  Mountains." 

His  companions  laughed  at  him,  not  believing  that 
he  could  know  what  was  transpiring  at  a  distance  of 
several  miles,  which  was  the  least  that  lay  between 
them  and  the  spot  indicated. 

"  I  will  wager  you  that  I  need  go  no  farther  than 
the  door  to  shoot  him  for  you,"  persevered  the  watch- 
man in  defiant  tones. 

"  Nonsense ! "  said  the  others. 

"  Come,  will  you  wager  something  worth  the  while  ? 
Say  two  cans  of  ale." 

"Done!    Two  cans  of  ale,  it  shall  be."     And  the 


SK!NE.  13 

company  betook  themselves   to  the  yard   in   front  of 
the  hut. 

It  was  a  frosty  autumn  evening.  The  wind  chased 
the  clouds  over  the  sky,  and  the  half  moon  cast  fitful 
reflections  through  the  breaks  over  the  neighborhood. 
In  a  few  minutes  a  something  was  seen  moving  rapidly 
along  the  edge  of  a  thicket  on  the  farther  side  of  a 
little  glade.  The  watchman  threw  his  gun  carelessly 
to  his  shoulder  and  fired.  A  derisive  laugh  was  echo 
to  the  report.  No  mortal,  thought  they,  in  such  un- 
certain light  and  at  such  a  distance,  could  shoot  a  deer 
in  flight. 

The  watchman,  certain  of  his  game,  hastened  across 
the  glade,  followed  by  his  companions,  to  whom  the 
event  meant,  at  least,  two  cans  of  ale. 

It  would  not  be  easy  to  picture  the  surprise  of  the 
doubters,  when,  upon  arriving  at  the  thicket,  they  dis- 
covered, lying  upon  the  ground,  bathed  in  foam  and  his 
tongue  hanging  from  his  mouth,  a  magnificent  stag, 
pierced  through  the  heart  by  the  deadly  bullet,  his 
life  blood  fast  coloring  his  bed  of  autumn  leaves  a 
brighter  hue. 

What  unseen  power  has  brought  this  poor  animal 
from  Halland's  Mountains  in  a  bare  half  hour?  Such 
were  the  thoughts  of  the  watchman's  companions  as 
they  retired  in  silence  to  the  hut. 

The  watchman  received  his  two  cans  of  ale,  but  no 
one  seemed  inclined  to  join  him  in  disposing  of  them. 
They  now  understood  with  what  sort  of  a  man  they 
were  having  to  do.  It  was  evident  to  them  that  the 


14  SKANE. 

watchman  was  in  league  with  the  Evil  One  himself, 
and  they  henceforth  guarded  themselves  carefully 
against  companionship  with  him  after  dark. 


At  a  little  distance  from  Baal  Mountain,  in  the 
parish  of  Filkestad,  in  Willand's  Harad,  lies  a  hill 
where,  formerly,  lived  a  giant  named  Stompe  Pilt. 

It  happened  one  day,  that  a  Goatherd  came  that 
way,  driving  his  goats  before  him,  up  the  hill. 

"  Who  comes  there  ?"  demanded  the  Giant,  rushing 
out  of  the  hill,  with  a  large  flint  stone  in  his  fist,  when 
he  discovered  the  Goatherd. 

"  It  is  I,  if  you  will  know,"  responded  the  Herder, 
continuing  his  way  up  the  hill  with  his  flock. 

"  If  you  come  up  here  I  will  squeeze  you  into  frag- 
ments as  I  do  this  stone,"  shrieked  the  Giant,  and 
crushed  the  stone  between  his  fingers  into  fine  sand 

"  Then  I  will  squeeze  water  out  of  you  as  I  do  out 
of  this  stone,"  replied  the  Herder,  taking  a  new-made 
cheese  from  his  bag  and  squeezing  it  so  that  the  whey 
ran  between  his  fingers  to  the  ground. 

"  Are  you  not  afraid  ?  "  asked  the  Giant. 

"  Not  of  you,"  replied  the  Herder. 

"  Then  let  us  fight,"  continued  Stompe  Pilt. 

"  All  right,"  responded  the  Goatherd,  "  but  let 
us  first  taunt  each  other  so  that  we  will  become  right 
angry,  for  taunting  will  beget  anger  and  anger  will 
give  us  cause  to  fight." 

"  Very  well,  and  I  will  begin,"  said  the  Giant. 

"  Go  ahead,  and  I  will  follow  you,"  said  the 
Herder. 


16  SKANE. 

"  You  shall  become  a  crooked  nose  hobgoblin," 
cried  the  Giant. 

"  You  shall  become  a  flying  devil,"  retorted  the 
Herder,  and  from  his  bow  shot  a  sharp  arrow  into  the 
body  of  the  Giant. 

u  What  is  that  ? "  inquired  the  Giant,  endeavoring 
to  pull  the  arrow  from  his  flesh. 

"  That  is  a  taunt,"  replied  the  Herder. 

"  Why  has  it  feathers  ? "  asked  the  Giant. 

"  In  order  that  it  may  fly  straight  and  rapidly," 
answered  the  Herder. 

"  Why  does  it  stick  so  fast  ? "  asked  the  Giant. 

"  Because  it  has  taken  root  in  your  body,"  was  the 
answer. 

u  Have  you  more  of  such  ?  "  inquired  the  Giant. 

u  There,  you  have  another,"  said  the  Herder,  and 
shot  another  arrow  into  the  Giant's  body. 

"Aj!  aj!"  shrieked  Stompe  Pilt;  "are  you  not 
angry  enough  to  fight  ? " 

"  No,  I  have  not  yet  taunted  you  enough,"  replied 
the  Herder,  setting  an  arrow  to  his  bowstring. 

"  Drive  your  goats  where  you  will.  I  can't  endure 
your  taunting,  much  less  your  blows,"  shrieked  Stompe 
Pilt,  and  sprang  into  the  hill  again. 

Thus  the  Herder  was  saved  by  means  of  his 
bravery  and  ingenuity. 


(Slant  |pnn  and  ^utuVB  OJattodrat 


In  the  days  long  gone  by  there  lived  in  Helgona- 
backen — the  Hills  of  Helgona — near  Lund,  a  family 
of  giants  who  one  day  heard,  with  great  anxiety  and 
consternation,  that  a  holy  man  had  come  into  the  coun- 
try, from  Saxony,  to  build  a  church  to  the  White  Christ. 

While  Laurentius,  such  was  the  holy  man's  name, 
was  selecting  his  site  and  laying  out  the  plans  for  the 
temple,  there  stood  at  his  side,  one  day,  none  other  than 
Finn,  the  giant  of  Helgonabacken,  who  thus  addressed 
him :  "  Truly  the  White  Christ  is  a  God  worthy  of  such 
a  temple,  and  I  will  build  it  for  you,  if,  when  it  is  fin- 
ished, you  will  tell  me  what  my  name  is;  but,  mark  well 
my  condition,  oh,  wise  man,  if  you  can  not  tell  me,  you 
must  givo  to  my  little  ones  the  two  small  torches — the 
sun  and  the  moon — that  travel  yonder  over  heaven's 
expanse." 

Now,  it  is  so  ordered  in  the  giant  world  that  it  is  of 
vital  importance  the  name  of  the  giant  should  be 
kept  from  mankind.  Should  it  be  revealed  the  giant 

*  Similar  leg-ends  are  connected  with  a  number  of  our  churches,  as 
the  cathedral  of  Trondhjem,  where  the  Troll  is  called  "Skalle."  Also 
with  Eskellsatter's  church  in  the  department  of  Nils  in  Vermland,  where  the 
giant  architect  is  called  Kinn,  who  fell  from  the  tower  when  the  priest  Es 
kil  called,  "Kinn,  set  the  point  right !  "  Again,  with  a  church  in  Norrland 
where  the  Troll  is  called  "Wind  and  Weather,"  and  concern-ng  whom  the 
legend  relates  "  that  just  as  the  giant  was  putting  up  the  cross,  St.  Olof  said 
* '  Wind  and  Weather  you  have  set  the  spire  awry."  Of  the  church  at  Kal- 
lundborg  in  Sjailand,  whose  designer,  Ebern  Snare,  it  is  said,  entered  into  a 
contract  much  the  same  as  that  made  with  the  Giant  Finn  by  the  holy 
Laurentius. 


18  SKANE. 

must  die,  and  man  is  freed  from  all  obligations  that  may 
have  been  imposed  upon  him  by  compact  with  the  giant. 
Laurentius  could  not  reasonably  promise  so  much 
but  anxious  to  have  the  church  built,  he  offered,  instead, 
his  eyes,  trusting  to  fortune  to  discover  to  him  the 
giant's  name  before  the  completion  of  the  church.  The 
giant,  satisfied  with  the  bargain,  entered  at  once  upon 
his  work,  and  with  wonderful  rapidity  the  church  grew 
upward.  Soon  there  remained  nothing  more  to  com- 
plete it  than  to  set  one  stone  on  the  tower. 

The  day  preceding  that  on  which  it  was  expected 
this  last  stone  would  be  put  in  place  Laurentius  stood 
on  Ilelgonabacken  in  deep  melancholy.  It  seemed 
inevitable  that  he  must  lose  his  eyes,  and  that  he  was 
now  taking  his  last  look  at  the  light  of  heaven  and  all 
that  had  made  the  world  and  life  so  attractive  to  him. 
Next  day  all  would  be  darkness  and  sorrow.  During 
these  gloomy  reflections  he  heard  the  cry  of  a  child 
from  within  the  hill,  and  the  voice  of  the  giant  mother 
endeavoring  to  quiet  it  with  a  song,  in  which  he  clearly 
distinguished  the  words:  "Silent,  silent,  little  son  of 
mine,  morning  will  bring  your  father  Finn,  with  either 
moon  and  sun  or  the  priest  Laurentius'  eyes." 

Beside  himself  with  joy,  Laurentius  hastened  to 
the  church.  "  Come  down,  Finn !  "  he  cried,  "  the  stone 
that  now  remains  we  ourselves  can  set — come  down, 
Finn,  we  no  longer  need  your  help! " 

Foaming  with  rage,  the  Giant  rushed  from  the 
tower  to  the  ground,  and  laying  hold  of  one  of  the 
pillars  tried  to  pull  the  church  down.  At  this  in- 
stant his  wife  with  her  child  joined  him.  She.  too, 


SKANE.  19 

grasped  a  pillar  and  would  help  her  husband  in  the 
work  of  destruction,  but  just  as  the  building  was  tot- 
tering to  the  point  of  falling,  they  were  both  turned  to 
stones,  and  there  they  lie  to-day,  each  embracing -a 
pillar. 


In  the  beginning  of  the  Sixteenth  Century  there 
lived    in   Skane   a   nobleman,  Andres   Bille,    Lord    of 

*  See  (J.  Lundgren's  Skanska  Herrgardar,  Vol.  I, 


SKANE.  21 

Rosendal,  who  was  very  severe  toward  his  dependents, 
and  it  was  not  unusual  that  a  disobedient  servant  was 
put  in  chains,  and  even  into  the  castle  dungeons. 

One  day  Bille's  intended  made  a  visit  to  Rosendal. 
Upon  entering  the  court-yard  almost  the  first  object 
that  attracted  her  attention  was  a  peasant  tethered  like 
a  horse.  She  inquiring  as  to  the  cause  of  such  treat- 
ment, Bille  informed  her  that  the  servant  had  come 
late  to  work,  and  was  now  suffering  only  well  merited 
punishment.  The  young  woman  begged  Bille  to  set 
the  man  at  liberty,  but  this  he  refused  to  do,  and  told 
her,  emphatically,  that  she  must  not  interpose  in  his 
affairs. 

"When  the  intended  wife,"  said  the  young  lady,  as 
she  returned  to  her  carriage,  "is  refused  a  boon  so 
small,  what  will  be  the  fate  of  the  wife?"  and  there- 
upon she  commanded  her  coachman  to  drive  her  home 
at  once,  and  resolved  to  come  no  more  to  Rosendal. 

People  predicted  that  such  a  heartless  man  could 
not  possibly  be  at  rest  in  his  grave,  and  true  to  the 
prediction,  Bille,  after  his  death  and  burial,  came  every 
night,  in  spirit,  to  Rosendal.  Halting  his  white  team 
in  the  court-yard,  with  stealthy  steps  he  would  make 
his  way  to  his  former  bed-chamber  where  he  would 
spend  the  night  until  cock-crow.  If  the  bed  had  been 
prepared  all  was  quiet  in  the  chamber,  otherwise  such 
a  dreadful  noise  followed  that  there  was  no  such  thing 
as  sleep  in  the  castle.  Always,  upon  going  to  the 
room  in  the  morning,  the  bed  clothes  were  found  tossed 
about  and  soiled  as  if  a  dog  had  occupied  the  bed. 

When  the  specter  had  gone  on  in  this  manner  for  a 


SKANE. 


number  of  years,  the  new  owner  of  the  estate  applied 
to  a  pious  priest  in  Ilasslunda,  Master  Steffan,  and 
begged  him  to  put  a  stop  to  these  troublesome  visits. 
To  this  end  the  priest,  one  day,  accompanied  by  a 
fellow  priest,  set  out  for  Kropp's  Church,  where  Bille 
was  buried.  On  the  stroke  of  12  o'clock,  midnight, 
the  grave  opened  and  the  ghost  of  the  dead  lord 
stepped  forth.  Father  Steffan's  companion  at  once 
took  to  his  heels,  but  Father  Steffan  remained  and 
began  to  read  from  a  book  he  had  Avith  him.  During 
the  reading  the  ghost  became  larger  and  larger,  but 
the  priest  would  not  be  frightened.  Finally  the 
apparition  interrupted  the  reading  and  addressed  the 
priest. 

"  Is  that  you,  Steffan,  the  goose  thief  ?  " 
"It  is,  indeed,  I,"  replied  the  priest,  "  and  it  is  true 
that  in  my  boyhood  I  stole  a  goose,  but  with  the 
money  received  for  the  goose  I  bought  a  Bible,  and 
with  that  Bible  I  will  send  you  to  hell, you  evil  spirit." 
Whereupon  he  struck  the  specter  such  a  blow  on 
the  forehead  with  the  Bible  that  it  sank  again  into 
purgatory. 

Unfortunately,  because  of  the  truth  of  Bille's  accu- 
sation and  that  it  came  from  Bille,  the  priest's  prayers 
and  reading  lost  much  of  potency,  and  he  was  unable 
to  enforce  upon  the  ghost  entire  quietude.  Neverthe- 
less, so  much  was  accomplished  that  Bille  now  comes 
to  Ilosendal  only  once  a  year. 


of 


In  the  parish  of  Kopinge,  on  the  northern  bank  of 
a  stream  which,  a  short  distance  below  Lake  Ilelga, 
flows  into  the  river  Helga,lies  an  old  mansion,IJgerup  or 
Ugarp,  known  in  early  days  as  the  seat  of  the  Ugerup 
family,  famous  in  the  history  of  Denmark. 

In  the  middle  of  the  Sixteenth  Century  the  estate 
was  owned  by  Senator  Axel  Ugerup.  On  the  Nas  estate, 
a  few  miles  distant,  dwelt  the  wealthy  Tage  Thott,  at 
that  time  one  of  the  richest  men  in  Skane. 

Herr  Arild,  Alex  Ugerup' s  son,  and  Thale,  Tage 
Thott's  fair  daughter,  had,  it  may  be  said,  grown 
up  together,  and  even  in  childhood,  had  conceived  a 
strong  love  for  each  other. 

When  Arild  was  yet  a  young  man    he  was  made 

*  Arild  Ugerup,  the  character  in  chief  of  this  leg-end,  was  born  in  the 
year  1528  in  the  castle  of  Solversborg,  where  his  father,  Axel  Ugerup,  was 
master.  When  the  son  had  passed  through  the  parochial  school  of  Herre- 
vad,  and  had  attained  to  the  age  of  manhood,  he  marched,  with  others,  to 
guard  the  old  Kristian  Tyrann  in  Kallundsborg  castle.  Some  years  later  he 
was  sent  as  Danish  embassador,  to  be  present  at  the  crowning  of  King  Erik 
XIV.,  when  he  was  made  Knight  of  the  Order  of  St.  Salvador.  Later  he  was 
sent  as  envoy  to  the  Russian  court,  and  in  1587  was  raised  to  Lord  of  Helsing- 
borg,  where  he  died  in  1587,  and  was  buried  in  Ugerup  (now  Kopinge) 
church. 

Another  legend,  in  which  the  seeds  of  the  pine  tree  were  sown,  comes 
from  Ostergotland.  A  lady  of  the  nobility,  living  in  Solberga,  had  a  son, 
who,  in  the  battle  of  Stangebro  took  sides  with  King  Sigismund,  and  when 
the  battle  was  lost  had  to  fly  the  country.  The  aged  mother  mourned 
deeply  over  her  son's  absence,  and  besieged  Duke  Karl  with  prayers  to 
allow  her  misguided  son  to  return  home,  to  make  her  a  visit,  at  least. 

At  last  he  was  granted  permission  to  return  and  visit  his  mother  until  — 
the  order  read,  "  The  next  harvest."  Whereupon  the  mother  sowed  pine 
seeds  on  the  fields  of  Solberg,  which  accounts  for  the  uncommonly  fine 
forests  of  pine  even  now  existing  on  the  estate. 

33 


24  SKANE. 

embassador  to  Sweden  by  the  Danish  Government, 
in  which  capacity  he  took  part  in  the  coronation  of 
Erik  XIV.  Upon  his  return  to  Ugerup  he  renewed 
his  attentions  to  his  boyhood's  love,  and  without 
difficulty  obtained  her  consent  and  that  of  her  par- 
ents to  a  union. 

Not  long  thereafter  war  broke  out  between  Sweden 
and  Denmark.  With  anxiety  and  distress  the  lovers 
heard  the  call  to  arms.  The  flower  of  Danish  knight- 
hood hastened  to  place  themselves  under  the  ensign  of 
their  country,  where  even  for  Arild  Ugerup  a  place 
was  prepared.  At  leave  taking  the  lovers  promised 
each  other  eternal  fidelity,  and  Arild  was  soon  in 
Copenhagen,  where  he  was  given  a  position  in  the 
navy. 

In  the  beginning  the  Danes  met  with  some  success, 
but  soon  the  tables  were  turned.  At  Gland  Klas  Kris- 
tenson  Horn  defeated  the  united  Danish  and  Leibich 
flotillas,  capturing  three  ships,  with  their  crews  and 
belongings.  Among  the  captured  was  Arild  Ugerup, 
who  was  carried,  a  prisoner,  to  Stockholm,  where  three 
short  years  before  he  was  an  honored  visitor  and  won 
his  knightly  spurs. 

The  friends  of  Arild  entertained  little  hope  that 
they  would  ever  see  him  again,  and  his  rivals  for  the 
hand  of  Thale  persistently  renewed  their  suits.  Tage 
Thott,  who  saw  his  daughter  decline  the  attentions  of 
one  lover  after  another,  decided,  finally,  that  this  con- 
duct must  not  continue,  and  made  known  to  his 
daughter  that  she  must  choose  a  husband  from  among 
the  many  available  and  desirable  young  men  seeking 


SKANE.  25 

her  hand.  Thale  took  this  announcement  very  much 
to  heart,  but  her  prayers  and  tears  were  without  avail. 
Spring  succeeded  winter  and  no  Arild  came.  Meanwhile, 
the  unrelenting  father  had  made  a  choice  and  fixed  up- 
on a  day  when  the  union  should  take  place. 

During  this  time  Arild,  languishing  in  his  prison, 
busied  his  brain  in  the  effort  to  find  some  means  of  es- 
cape, but  plan  after  plan  Avas  rejected  as  impracti- 
cable, until  it  occurred  to  him  to  make  use  of  his  rank 
and  acquaintance  with  the  King.  So,  not  long  there- 
after, he  sent  to  King  Erik  a  petition,  asking  permis- 
sion to  go  home  on  parole,  for  the  purpose  of  solem- 
nizing his  wedding,  also  to  be  permitted  to  remain  long 
enough  in  Ugerup  to  sow  and  gather  his  crops.  The 
King  readily  granted  his  petition,  since  Arild  promised, 
on  his  knightly  honor,  to  return  to  his  confinement  as 
soon  as  his  harvest  was  ripe. 

He  at  once  hastened  to  Skane  where  he  was  not 
long  in  learning  what  had  transpired  during  his  absence, 
and  that  Thale,  at  her  father's  bidding,  was  about  to  be 
wedded  to  another.  Continuing  his  journey  to  Nas, 
where  his  arrival  caused  both  rejoicing  and  consterna- 
tion, he  presented  himself  to  Tageand  demanded  Thale 
to  wife,  as  had  been  promised  him.  Knight  Tage, 
hoAvever,  Avould  not  listen  to  such  a  thing  as  a  change 
from  his  plans,  and  declared  firmly  that  his  daugh- 
ter should  belong  to  him  Avhom  he  had  selected  for 
her,  but  Arild  made  a  speedy  end  to  the  trouble. 
By  strategy,  he  carried  his  bride  aAvay  in  secret  to 
Denmark,  Avhere  they  were  shortly  afterward  married. 
Tage,  outwitted,  made  the  best  of  the  matter  and 


26  SKANE. 

accepted  the  situation,  whereupon  Arild  and  his  wife 
returned  to  Ugerup. 

Arild  now  had  time  to  think  about  his  promise  to 
the  King,  and  how  he  might,  at  the  same  time,  keep  it 
and  not  be  separated  from  his  wii'e.  It  would  now 
profit  to  sow  seeds  that  would  not  mature  soon,  so  the 
fields  that  had  heretofore  been  devoted  to  corn  were 
planted  with  the  seeds  of  the  pine  tree. 

When  the  autumn  had  passed,  and  the  King  thought 
the  harvest  must,  by  this  time,  have  been  gathered,  lie 
sent  Arild  a  request  to  come  to  Stockholm.  But  Arild 
convinced  the  messenger  that  his  seeds  had  not  yet 
sprouted,  much  less  ripened. 

When  King  Erik  was  made  acquainted  with  the 
state  of  affairs,  he  could  do  no  less  than  approve  the 
ingenious  method  adopted  by  Arild  to  obtain  his  free- 
dom without  breaking  his  word,  and  allowed  the  mat- 
ter to  rest. 

The  product  of  Arild's  pine  seeds  is  now  shown  in 
a  magnificent  forest  at  Ugerup. 

Many  other  stories  are  told  in  Skane  about  Arild 
Ugerup  and  his  wife.  Among  others,  it  is  related  of 
the  former  that  he  was  endowed  with  marvelous 
strength,  and  that  in  the  arch  of  the  gateway  opening 
into  the  estate  was  a  pair  of  iron  hooks,  which,  when 
coming  home  from  Ilelsingborg,  Arild  was  wont  to 
catch  hold  of,  and  lift  himself  and  horse  together  some 
distance  off  the  ground,  after  which  little  exercise  he 
would  ride  on. 

His  wife,  Thale,  was,  like  her  husband,  very  strong, 
very  good  and  benevolent,  likewise  very  generous 


SKANE.  27 

toward  her  dependents.  A  story  is  told  of  her,  that 
one  mid-summer  evening,  when  the  servants  of  the 
estate  were  gathered  on  the  green  for  a  dance,  she  re- 
quested her  husband  to  give  the  people  as  much  food 
and  drink  as  she  could  carry  at  one  load,  and  her  re- 
quest being,  of  course,  granted,  she  piled  up  two  great 
heaps  of  beef,  pork  and  bread,  which,  with  two  barrels 
of  ale,  one  under  each  arm,  she  carried  out  onto  the 
green,  with  ease. 


at  t 


During  the  early  half  of  the  Seventeenth  Century 
many  of  the  best  estates  in  Skane  belonged  to  the  fam- 
ily of  Barkenow,  or  more  correctly,  to  the  principal 
representative  of  the  family,  Madame  Margaretta 
Barkenow,  daughter  of  the  renowned  general  and 

38 


SKANE.  29 

governor- general,  Count  Eutger  Yon  Ascheberg,  and 
wife  of  Colonel  Kjell  Kristofer  Barkenow. 

A  widow  at  twenty-nine,  she  took  upon  herself  the 
management  of  her  many  estates,  in  the  conduct  of 
which  she  ever  manifested  an  indomitable,  indefati- 
gable energy,  and  a  never-ceasing  care  for  her  numerous 
dependents. 

On  a  journey  over  her  estates,  Madame  Margaretta 
came,  one  evening,  to  Fjelkinge's  inn,  and  persisted  in 
sleeping  in  a  room  which  was  called  the  "  ghost's  room." 
A  traveler  had,  a  few  years  before,  slept  in  this  room, 
and  as  it  was  supposed  had  been  murdered,  at  least  the 
man  and  his  effects  had  disappeared,  leaving  no  trace  of 
what  had  become  of  them.  After  this  his  ghost  ap- 
peared in  the  room  nightly,  and  those  who  were  ac- 
quainted with  the  circumstance,  traveled  to  the  next 
post,  in  the  dark,  rather  than  choose  such  quarters  for 
the  night.  Margaretta  was,  however,  not  among  this 
number.  She  possessed  greater  courage,  and  without 
fear  chose  the  chamber  for  her  sleeping  room. 

After  her  evening  prayers  she  retired  to  bed  and 
sleep,  leaving  the  lamp  burning.  At  twelve  o'clock 
she  was  awakened  by  the  lifting  up  of  two  boards  in 
the  floor,  and  from  the  opening  a  bloody  form  ap- 
peared, with  a  cloven  head  hanging  upon  its  shoulders. 

"  Noble  lady,"  whispered  the  apparition,  "  I  beg  you 
prepare,  for  a  murdered  man,  a  resting  place  in  conse- 
crated ground,  and  speed  the  murderer  to  his  just 
punishment." 

Pure  in  heart,  therefore  not  alarmed,  Lady 
Margaretta  beckoned  the  apparition  to  come  nearer, 


30  8KANE. 

which  it  did,  informing  her  that  it  had  entreated  others, 
who  after  the  murder  had  slept  in  the  room,  but  that 
none  had  the  courage  to  comply.  Then  Lady  Mar- 
garetta  took  from  her  linger  a  gold  ring,  laid  it  in  the 
gaping  wound,  and  bound  the  apparition's  head  up 
with  her  pocket  handerchief.  With  a  glance  of  un- 
speakable thankfulness  the  ghost  revealed  the  name  of 
the  murderer  and  disappeared  noiselessly  beneath  the 
floor. 

The  following  morning  Lady  Margaretta  instructed 
the  bailiff  of  the  estate  to  assemble  the  people  at  the 
post  house,  where  she  informed  them  what  had  hap- 
pened during  the  night,  and  commanded  -  that  the 
planks  of  the  floor  be  taken  up.  Here,  under  the 
ground,  was  discovered  a  half  decomposed  corpse,  with 
the  countess-  ring  in  the  hole  in  its  skull,  and  her 
handkerchief  bound  around  its  head. 

At  sight  of  this,  one  of  those  present  grew  pale 
and  fainted  to  the  ground.  Upon  being  revived  -he 
confessed  that  he  had  murdered  the  traveler  and  robbed 
him  of  his  goods.  He  was  condemned  to  death  for  his 
crime,  and  the  murdered  man  received  burial  in  the 
parish  church -yard. 

The  ring,  which  is  peculiarly  formed  and  set  with 
a  large  grayish  chased  stone,  remains  even  now  in  the 
keeping  of  the  Barkenow  family,  and  is  believed  to 
possess  miraculous  powers  in  sickness,  against  evil 
spirits  and  other  misfortunes.  When  one  of  the  family 
dies  it  is  said  that  a  red,  bloodlike  spot  appears  upon 
the  stone. 


garu  mul 


On  the  estates  of  Ljungby  there  lies  a  large  stone 
called  Maglestone,  under  which  the  Trolls,  in  olden 
times,  were  wont  to  assemble  and,  with  dancing  and 
games,  celebrate  their  Christmas. 

One  Christmas  night  Lady  Cissela  Ulf stand,  sitting 
in  her  mansion,  listening  to  the  merry-making  of  the 
Trolls  under  the  stone,  and  curious  to  have  a  bet- 
ter knowledge  of  these  mysterious  mountain  people, 
assembled  hermenservants  and  promised  the  best  horse 
in  her  stables  to  him  who  would  ride  to  Maglestone,  at 
Vesper  hour,  and  bring  her  a  full  account  of  the 
doings  there. 

One  of  her  swains,  a  daring  young  fellow,  accepted 
the  offer,  and  a  little  later  set  out  on  his  way.  Arriv- 
ing at  the  stone,  hcdiscovered  it  lifted  from  the  ground, 

*  Both  of  these  Troll  treasures  are  now  preserved  at  Ljungby  arid 
are  willingly  shown  to  curious  travelers.  The  horn  is  in  the  form  of  a  half 
circle  and  adorned  with  silver  mountim's.  The  pipe  is  of  ivory,  made  so 
that  it  may  be  blown  from  either  end,  and  the  sound  from  it  is  a  single 
piercing  note. 

When  Lady  Oellegard  Gyllerstierna,  who  inherited  Ljungby,  married 
Cay  Lycke,  she  took  the  horn  and  pipe  with  her  to  Denmark.  The  evil  that 
soon  befell  Lycke  was  regarded  by  many  as  the  consequence  of  Troll  curses, 
which  followed  him  who  took  the  articles  from  Ljungby.  From  Lycke  the 
horn  came  into  the  possession  of  Lord  Axel  Juul,  whose  widow  presented  it 
to  the  Chancellor,  Ove  Juul.  His  son  sent  it  to  the  Danish  minister,  Luxdorf . 
Since  1691  the  horn  and  pipe  have  remained  continuously  at  Ljungby. 

Tn  all  quarters  of  the  country  similar  legends  are  current,  more  or  less 
founded  upon  the  Ljungby  legend. 

As  late  as  the  present  year  (18S8)  the  translator  met  a  gentleman, 
recently  from  Sweden,  and  from  the  province  in  which  Ljungby  is  located, 
who  states  that  the  horn  is  still  in  the  possession  of  the  owners  of  the 
Ljungby  estate,  and  that  this  story  concerning  it  is  still  current  aud  quite 
generally  believed. 

31 


82  SKANE. 

supported  on  pillars  of  gold,  and  under  it  the  Trolls  in 
the  midst  of  their  revelry. 

Upon  discovering  the  horseman  a  young  Troll  wo- 
man, leaving  the  others,  approached  him  bearing  a 
drinking  horn  and  pipe.  These,  upon  reaching  his 
side,  she  placed  in  the  young  man's  hand,  with  directions 
to  first  drink  from  the  horn  to  the  health  of  the  Moun- 
tain King,  then  blow  three  times  on  the  pipe,  at  the  same 
time  whispering  some  words  of  caution  in  his  ears, 
whereupon  he  threw  the  contents  of  the  horn  over  his 
shoulder  and  set  off  at  the  utmost  speed,  over  fields 
and  meadows,  toward  home.  The  Trolls  followed  him 
closely  with  great  clamor,  but  he  flew  before  them 
across  the  drawbridge,  which  was  at  once  pulled  up, 
and  proceeded  to  place  the  horn  and  pipe  in  the  hands 
of  his  mistress. 

Outside,  across  the  moat,  the  Trolls  now  stood, 
promising  Lady  Cissela  great  happiness  and  riches  if 
she  would  return  to  them  their  horn  and  pipe,  and 
declaring  that,  otherwise,  great  misfortune  and  destruc- 
tion would  overtake  her  and  her  family,  and  that  it 
should  go  especially  hard  with  the  young  man  who  had 
dared  to  deprive  them  of  the  precious  articles.  True 
to  the  predictions,  the  young  man  died  on  the  third 
day  thereafter  and  the  horse  which  he  rode  fell  dead  a 
day  later. 

During  the  war  of  1645  Field  Marshal  Gustaf  Horn, 
whose  headquarters  were  at  Fjelkinge,  having  heard 
this  story,  and  wishing  to  see  the  horn  and  pipe, 
requested  that  they  be  brought  to  him.  The  possess- 
or. Axel  Gyllerstierna,  who  then  owned  Ljungby, 


SKANE. 


forwarded  them,  accompanied  with  earnest  prayers  that 
they  be  returned  to  him  as  soon  as  possible.  Horn's 
curiosity  was  soon  satisfied,  and  he  felt  no  .desire  to 
retain  them  longer  in  his  possession,  for  while  he  did 
he  was  disturbed  every  night  by  unseemly  noises  about 
his  quarters,  which  ceased,  when,  under  the  escort  of  a 
company  of  cavalry,  he  sent  them  back  to  Ljungby. 

Ten  years  later  there  took  place  a  still  more  won- 
derful circumstance.  Henrik  Nilsson,  the  priest  at 
Ljungby,  borrowed  the  strange  articles  for  the  purpose 
of  showing  them  to  his  brothers-in-law  who  were  then 
visiting  him.  During  the  night  the  priest's  mother-in- 
law,  Lady  Anna  Conradi,  who  was  one  of  the  family, 
was  awakened  by  the  light  of  a  candle  in  her  room. 
The  bed  curtains  were  drawn  back  and  upon  her  bed 
a  basket  was  dropped  wherein  sat  five  small  children, 
who  in  chorus  set  up  a  cry : 

"O  you,  who  are  noted  for  your  kindness,  please 
return  to  us  our  horn!" 

To  her  question  why  they  desired  it  and  what  value 
it  had  to  them,  they  answered : 

"  For  our  people's  sake." 

When  she  would  no  longer  listen  to  their  pleading 
they  departed,  saying  they  would  come  again  three 
nights  later. 

On  Thursday  night,  and  the  third  following  their 
first  visit,  there  was  again  alight  in  her  room.  When 
Lady  Anna  drew  back  the  bed  curtain  she  discovered 
her  chamber  occupied  by  a  great  number  of  little  men, 
and  among  them  the  Troll  King  himself,  approaching 
her  under  a  canopy  of  silver  cloth  upheld  on  silver 


34  SKANE. 

poles  borne  by  four  servants.  His  skin  was  a  dark 
brown  and  his  hair,  of  which  only  a  tuft  was  left  on 
his  forehead  and  one  by  each  ear,  black  and  woolly. 
Softly  he  neared  the  bed,  holding  forth  a  horn  richly 
adorned  with  gold  chains  and  massive  gold  buttons, 
which  he  proffered  the  lady  in  exchange  for  the  genu- 
ine horn.  But  she  was  not  to  be  persuaded,  and  con- 
signed them  to  God,  if  they  belonged  to  him,  and  to 
the  devil,  if  they  were  his  offspring,  whereupon  the 
Trolls  quietly  and  sorrowfully  departed. 

Soon  thereafter  it  was  reported  that  a  peasant's 
child  had  been  carried  off  by  the  Trolls.  By  means  of 
ringing  the  church  bells  it  was,  however,  returned  to 
its  mother.  The  boy  related  that  the  Trolls  were  not 
pretty,  but  had  large  noses  and  mouths  ;  that  the  man 
under  Maglestone  was  called  Klausa  and  his  wife  Otta. 
That  they  sucked  the  moisture  from  the  food  of  man- 
kind and  so  sustained  themselves;  that  they  obeyed 
one  king;  that  they  were  often  at  variance  with 
each  other,  also,  that  they  spoke  the  language  of  the 
country.  Lord  Chancellor  Covet,  who  published,  "  A 
Narrative  of  Ljungby  Horn  and  Pipe,"  dated  February 
11,  1692,  says  that  he  knew  this  boy,  who  was  then 
twenty-seven  years  old,  also  his  mother,  but  admits 
that  both  were  disposed  to  superstition  and  that  their 
understandings  were  as  feeble  as  their  bodies. 


A  young  peasant,  in  the  parish  of  Mellby,  who 
often  amused  himself  with  hunting,  saw  one  day  three 

*  Stories  of  elvemaidens,  who  have  married  humans,  lived  with  them 
some  time  and  then  vanished,  are  not  uncommon  in  Sweden.    One   such 


35 


36  BLEKINGE. 

swans  flying  toward  him,  which  settled  down  upon  the 
strand  of  a  sound  near  by. 

Approaching  the  place,  he  was  astonished  at  seeing 
the  three  swans  divest  themselves  of  their  feathery  at- 
tire, which  they  threw  into  the  grass,  and  three 
maidens  of  dazzling  beauty  step  forth  and  spring  into 
the  water. 

After  sporting  in  the  waves  awhile  they  returned 
to  the  land,  where  they  resumed  their  former  garb  and 
shape  and  flew  away  in  the  same  direction  from 
which  they  came. 

One  of  them,  the  youngest  and  fairest,  had,  in 
the  meantime,  so  smitten  the  young  hunter  that 
neither  night  nor  day  could  he  tear  his  thoughts  from 
the  bright  image. 

His  mother,  noticing  that  something  was  wrong 
with  her  son,  and  that  the  chase,  which  had  formerly 
been  his  favorite  pleasure,  had  lost  its  attractions, 
asked  him  finally  the  cause  of  his  melancholy,  where- 
upon he  related  to  her  what  he  had  seen,  and  de- 
clared that  there  was  no  longer  any  happiness  in  this 
life  for  him  if  he  could  not  possess  the  fair  swan 
maiden. 

from  Smaland  is  related  of  a  priest  whose  son  held  office  under  him 
as  curate. 

One  morning  when  the  young  man  wakened  he  saw  the  sun  streaming 
into  his  apartment  through  a  knot  hole  in  the  wall.  Suddenly  there  en- 
tered, as  if  on  a  sunbeam,  a  maiden,  who  stood  before  him  as  naked  as  Eve 
in  the  garden  of  Eden.  He  hurriedly  threw  a  cloak  over  the  beautiful  ap- 
parition and  conducted  her  down  to  his  parents.  Who  she  was  or  where  she 
came  from,  neither  she  nor  any  other  could  tell.  After  a  time  she  became 
the  wife  of  the  young  priest  and  lived  happily  with  him  a  number  of  years. 
But  one  day  he  was  relating  to  her  the  wonderful  manner  of  her  coming, 
and  to  confirm  his  account  removed  the  plug  from  the  knot  hole,  whereupon 
she  instantly,  as  suddenly  and  mysteriously  as  she  had  come,  vanished, 
leaving  him  in  sorrow  and  despair. 


BLEKINGE.  37 

"  Nothing  is  easier,"  said  the  mother.  "  Go  at  sunset 
next  Thursday  evening  to  the  place  where  you  last  saw 
her.  When  the  three  swans  come  give  attention  to 
where  your  chosen  one  lays  her  feathery  garb,  take 
it  and  hasten  away." 

The  young  man  listened  to  his  mother's  instruc- 
tions, and,  betaking  himself,  the  following  Thursday 
evening,  to  a  convenient  hiding  place  near  the  sound, 
he  waited,  with  impatience,  the  coming  of  the  swans. 
The  sun  was  just  sinking  behind  the  trees  when  the 
young  man's  ears  were  greeted  by  a  whizzing  in  the 
air.  and  the  three  swans  settled  down  upon  the  beach, 
as  on  their  former  visit. 

As  soon  as  they  had  laid  off  their  swan  attire  they 
were  again  transformed  into  the  most  beautiful  maid- 
ens, and,  springing  out  upon  the  white  sand,  they 
were  soon  enjoying  themselves  in  the  water. 

From  his  hiding  place  the  young  hunter  had  taken 
careful  note  of  where  his  enchantress  had  laid  her  swan 
feathers.  Stealing  softly  forth,  he  took  them  and  re- 
turned to  his  place  of  concealment  in  the  surrounding 
foliage. 

Soon  thereafter  two  of  the  swans  were  heard  to  fly 
away,  but  the  third,  in  search  of  her  clothes,  discovered 
the  young  man,  before  whom,  believing  him  respon- 
sible for  their  disappearance,  she  fell  upon  her  knees 
and  prayed  that  her  swan  attire  might  be  returned  to 
her.  The  hunter  was,  however,  unwilling  to  yield 
the  beautiful  prize,  and,  casting  a  cloak  around  her 
shoulders,  carried  her  home. 

Preparations  were  soon  made  for  a  magnificent 


38  BLEKINGE. 

wedding,  which  took  place  in  due  form,  and  the  joung 
couple  dwelt  lovingly  and  contentedly  together. 

One  Thursday  evening,  seven  years  later,  the  hunter 
related  to  her  how  he  had  sought  and  won  his  wife. 
He  brought  forth  and  showed  her,  also,  the  white  swan 
feathers  of  her  former  days.  No  sooner  were  they 
placed  in  her  hands  than  she  was  transformed  once 
more  into  a  swan,  and  instantly  took  flight  through 
the  open  window.  In  breathless  astonishment,  the  man 
stared  wildly  after  his  rapidly  vanishing  wife,  and  be- 
fore a  year  and  a  day  had  passed,  he  was  laid,  with  his 
longings  and  sorrows,  in  his  allotted  place  in  the  village 
church-yard. 


Many,  many  years  ago  there  lived,  in  Ellen  holm 
Castle,  a  knight,  who,  wishing  to  attend  Christmas 
matins  at  Morrunrs  Church,  with  a  long  journey 
before  him,  and  anxious  to  be  present  if  possible  at 
first  matins,  set  out  from  the  castle,  accompanied  by 
his  groom,  immediately  after  midnight.  Some  distance 
on  the  way,  feeling  sleepy,  he  instructed  the  groom  to 
ride  on  while  he  dismounted  and  sat  down  by  the  road- 
side, at  the  foot  of  a  mountain,  to  take  a  nap  and  re- 
fresh himself. 

He  had  been  sitting  only  a  few  minutes  when  a 
monster  giantess  came  and  bade  him  follow  her  into 
the  mountain,  which  he  did,  and  was  conducted  to  the 
presence  of  her  giant  husband.  Here  all  kinds  of  tempt- 
ing viands  were  set  before  him,  but  the  Knight,  who 
knew  well  into  what  kind  of  company  he  had  fallen, 
declined  to  partake  of  the  food. 

Offended  at  this,  the  woman  drew  forth  a  knife  and 
addressed  the  Knight : 

"  Do  you  recognize  this  ?  It  is  the  one  with  which 
you  chopped  me  in  the  thigh  when,  one  time,  I  was 
gathering  hay  for  my  calves.  Father,  what  do  you 
think  we  ought  to  do  with  him  ? " 

"  Let  him  go,"  said  the  Giant.  "  We  can  do 
nothing  to  him  for  he  invokes  the  Great  Master  too 
much." 


40  BLEKINGE. 

"  So  be  it,"  said  the  Giantess,  "  but  he  shall  have 
something  to  remember  me  by."  Whereupon  she  broke 
the  Knight's  little  finger. 

He  soon  discovered  himself  in  the  open  air  again, 
and  the  groom  who  had  returned  to  search  for  his  mas- 
ter found  him  in  the  place  where  he  had  left  him,  but 
with  a  little  finger  broken  —  a  warning  to  every  one  not 
to  sleep  on  the  way  to  church. 


THE   TROLLS   OF    SKURUGATA. 

41 


grolte  in  ,§Inmt0ata.! 


It  is  generally  understood  that  Trolls,  when  their 
territory  is  encroached  upon  by  mankind,  withdraw  to 
some  more  secluded  place.  So  when  Eksjo  was  built, 
those  that  dwelt  in  that  vicinity  moved  to  Skurugata, 
a  defile  between  two  high  mountains  whose  perpendic- 
ular sides  rise  so  near  to  each  other  as  to  leave  the 
bottom  in  continual  semi- darkness  and  gloom. 

Here,  it  may  be  supposed,  they  were  left  in  peace 
and  tranquility.  Not  so,  however,  for  it  is  related  that 
upon  the  occasion  of  the  annual  meeting  of  troops  at 
Ranneslatt,  a  whole  battalion  of  Smaland  grenadiers  re- 
peatedly marched  through,  with  beating  drums  and 
blowing  horns,  and  that  sometimes  they  fired  a  volley 
from  their  guns,  which  so  alarmed  the  Trolls  that 
it  is  now  a  question  whether  an}'  are  still  remaining 
there. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  the  -same  mountain  gulch  is 
a  very  sacred  fountain  where  those  living  thereabouts, 
in  former  times  are  said  to  have  offered  sacrifices 
to  their  patron  saint.  Whether  this  custom  is  now 

*  Skurugata  is  a  street-like  chasm  cut  through  one  of  the  granite  mount- 
ains situated  in  the  parish  of  Eksjo,  in  width  about  twenty-five  feet,  with 
walls  of  rock  on  either  side  rising  precipitously  to  the  height  of  130 
feet,  and  in  length  about  a  quarter  of  a  Swedish  mile— one  and  one-half 
English  miles.  That  the  fertile  fancies  of  the  people  have  made  this  wild 
place  the  resort  of  Trolls  and  other  supernatural  beings  is  not  surprising. 
Above  the  cliff  lies  a  rock  called  Skuruhatt,  by  the  side  of  which  is  an 
opening  into  the  mountain,  called  Sacristian,  where  the  heathens  are  said  to 
have  made  offerings  to  their  gods. 


SM!LAND.  43 

continued  is  not  known.  As  intelligence  increases  this 
and  all  other  peculiar  customs  will  soon  belong  entirely 
to  the  province  of  tradition.  A  few  decades  ago  this  was 
not  so ;  then  one  could,  according  to  the  narrations  of 
old  men  and  women,  have  had  the  pleasure  of  both 
seeing  and  talking  with  the  Trolls. 

There  was  once  a  hunter  named  Pelle  Katt,  who,  one 
day,  went  to  Skurugata  for  the  purpose  of  shooting 
woodcock,  but  though  it  was  the  mating  season,  when 
birds  are  ordinarily  plenty  and  tame,  the  hunt  was  un- 
successful. It  was  as  though  ordained.  The  puffy 
woodcock  and  his  hens  kept  out  of  the  way  of  the  mur- 
derous shot.  Pelle  was  angry,  and  suspecting  that  the 
Trolls  had  bewitched  his  gun,  he  swore  and  cursed  the 
Trolls  generally,  and  especially  those  that  lived  in 
Skurugata,  whose  mouth  he  was  just  passing,  when  a 
woman  stepped  out,  small  in  stature  and  peculiar  in 
feature,  bearing  a  little  poodle  dog  in  her  arms. 

"I  bring  you  greeting  from  my  mistress;  she  says 
you  are  to  shoot  this  dog,"  said  she,  approaching  Pelle. 

"  Tie  it  there  to  that  tree  and  it  shall  be  done  before 
it  can  get  upon  its  feet,"  answered  Pelle. 

This  was  done,  and  the  little  woman  disappeared  be- 
tween the  mountains.  Pelle  raised  his  gun  and  sent 
a  charge  of  shot  through  the  dog's  head.  But  what  a 
sight  met  his  gaze  when  the  smoke  had  disappeared  I 
There  lay  his  own  little  child  wrapped  in  a  dog's  hide. 

Pelle  Katt's  habits  were  not  the  best.  He  was  fond 
of  drink,  quarrelsome  and  boisterous,  and  often  in  his 
drunken  fits  declared  that  he  feared  neither  God  nor 
the  devil. 


44  SMALAND. 

Now,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  he  was  amazed 
and  crestfallen. 

"  O  God  !  What  have  I  now  done !"  he  cried. 

His  knees  smote  together  and  the  sweat  ran  copi- 
ously from  every  pore. 

"  Here  you  have  your  reward,"  said  the  Troll 
woman,  who  now  reappeared  and  threw  a  dollar  piece  to 
Pelle,  so  that  it  fell  in  his  open  hand,  to  which  it  stuck 
fast,  and  hastily  picking  up  the  dead  child  bore  it  away. 

In  a  rage,  Pelle  threw  the  dollar  piece  after  the  van- 
ishing figure,  at  the  same  time  calling  out : . 

"  I  will  take  no  pay  from  you  for  such  a  deed.  Here 
}Tou  have  your  gift  again,  you  detestable  Troll." 

A  hoarse  laugh  answered  from  the  mountain. 

Pelle  went  home.  The  child  was  absent.  His  Avife 
cried,  but  Pelle  kept  still  and  went  to  the  ale  house. 
He  had  no  money  with  which  to  buy  brandy  in  order 
to  drown  his  sorrows,  but  after  his  old  custom  he  stuck 
his  fingers  in  his  vest  pocket  to  feel  if  there  might  not 
be  a  penny  there.  Behold!  There  was  the  dollar  piece 
which  he  had  recently  cast  from  him.  He  dropped  it 
upon  the  ale  house  counter  and  received  a  drink  which 
truly  made  him  forget  his  dead  child,  his  wife,  himself, 
heaven,  hell  and  all. 

When  he  became  sober  the  coin  was  again  found  in 
his  pocket.  He  again  threw  it  away,  and  several  times 
thereafter,  but  always  found  it  in  his  pocket  when 
searching  it  for  money.  So  he  continued  to  drink 
more  and  more  daily,  until,  finally,  he  drank  himself 
into  that  sleep  that  knows  no  waking. 

So  goes  the  story  of  Pelle  Katt  and  the  Trolls  in 
Skurugata. 


^cttil  § 


On  the  island  of  Vising,  in  Lake  Yetter,  there 
lived  in  olden  times,  two  mighty  kings,  the  one  in 
Nasbo  and  the  other  in  the  castle  of  Borga,  at  opposite 
extremities  of  the  island.  A  controversy  arising  about 
the  division  of  land,  the  King  of  JSTasbo  consulted  a 
Troll  named  Gilbertil,  who  lived  in  the  parish  of  Olm- 
stad,  in  Ostergotland,  and  engaged  him  to  dig  a  ditch 
through  the  island,  thus  dividing  it  into  two  parts. 
Gilbertil  undertook  the  work,  and  began  digging  at 
Nas,  where  a  deep  pit,  even  to  this  day,  is  pointed  out 
as  marking  the  spot.  When  the  king  of  Borga  be- 
came aware  of  this,  he  sent  an  invitation  to  Kettil 

*  Commissioned  by  Governor  Lindehkelm  and  Doctor  Urban  Hiarne, 
Bailiff  Girs,  of  Tveta,  in  the  province  of  Joenkoeping,  went  to  Vising 
Island  in  the  year  1705,  for  the  purpose  of  learning  whether  or  no  any 
trace  of  the  Giant's  work  yet  remained. 

Arriving  at  the  island  he  applied  to  three  aged  and  trustworthy  men, 
from  each  of  whom  he  received  the  same  narration  that  has  here  been  pre- 
sented. Accompanied  by  these  men  he  went  by  sea  along  the  eastern  coast 
of  the  island  until  he  reached  a  high  bluff,  situated  between  the  villages  of 
NHs  and  Stiby,  and  about  a  third  of  a  mile  south  of  Visingborg.  Here  were 
actually  two  holes  about  fifty  feet  distant  from  each  other.  Into  these 
holes  three  men  crept,  Policeman  Nils  Runske  into  one,  and  tAvo  peasants 
into  the  other.  After  creeping  on  hands  and  knees  some  feet  they  found  it 
possible  to  walk  upright  for  about  thirty-four  feet  when  the  three  met, 
the  two  tunnels  here  continuing  in  a  single  passage,  which  they  were  not 
able  to  penetrate  beyond  a  few  feet,  because  of  the  foul  air.  The  passage 
was  six  feet  high  and  eight  feet  wide,  but  said  to  have  been  much  larger 
seventy  years  earlier.  Later  Girs  was  shown  a  sunken  place  or  bog-  which 
extended  from  the  aforementioned  bluff  inland  three-eighths  of  a  mile  and 
terminated  at  the  hole  in  Kumlaby  meadow,  where  it  is  supposed  Gilbertil 
is  imprisoned.  As  late  as  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century  the 
story  was  so  generally  credited  that  few  or  none  could  be  found  who  were 
not  entirely  convinced  that  Gilbertil  was  still,  by  some  devilish  power, 
alive  and  laboring  to  free  himself  from  his  imprisonment. 

45 


46  SMALAND. 

Runske,  another  notorious  Troll  man  who  lived  in  the 
parish  of  Habo,  in  Vestergotland.  Kettil  Runske  ac- 
cepted the  invitation,  and  at  once  set  out  for  the  island 
with  the  returning  messengers,  to  whom  his  presence 
on  the  boat,  though  he  was  invisible,  was  made  known 
because  of  the  boat  being  borne  down  into  the  water 
to  its  gunwale.  They  were  also  made  aware  of  his  de- 
parture from  them,  when  they  neared  the  castle,  by  the 
sudden  rising  of  the  boat  as  if  relieved  of  a  heavy  burden. 
To  accomplish  his  undertaking,  Gilbertil  intended, 
apparently,  to  make  an  underground  canal  from  shore 
to  shore  of  the  island,  and  allow  the  water  to  complete 
the  excavation,  and  had  already  progressed  to  a  point 
just  north  of  Kumlaby,  about  half  way  through  the 
island,  when  Kettil  discovered  his  whereabouts,  and 
opening  the  grounds  above  him  commanded  Gilbertil 
to  cease  digging.  Gilbertil  met  the  command  with 
mockery  and  scorn,  whereupon  Kettil  threw  his  Troll 
staff  at  him.  Gilbertil  intercepted  the  missile  in  the  air, 
but  his  hands  clove  to  the  staff  so  that  he  could  not 
free  them.  In  the  effort  to  release  himself  he  endeav- 
ored to  break  it  with  his  feet,  but  they  also  stuck  to  it. 
In  extreme  rage  he  then  attempted  to  tear  himself 
loose  with  his  teeth,  which  also  became  fastened. 
Thus  bouncl,  hands,  feet  and  mouth,  Kettil  threw  him 
into  the  deep  hole  which  is  now  to  be  seen  in  the 
meadow  of  Kumlaby,  and  which  has  received  the  name 
of  GilbertiPs  hole. 


game 


In  early  times  there  lived  in  Soasan,  a  range  of  hills 
not  far  from  the  well-known  city  of  Eksjo,  a  woman 

*  The  inhabitants  of  Eksjo  and  thereabout  relate  many  stories  of  Trolls 
and  the  like,  but  these  are  the  most  complete  and  characteristic. 

47 


48  SMALAND. 

Troll  wno  was  called  Dame  Soasan.  She  and  her 
forefathers  had,  for  ages,  dwelt  there,  but  when  the  sol- 
diers came  and  fired  their  guns — cracked  their  nuts,  as 
the  mountain  folk  expressed  it — on  the  camp  ground  of 
Kanneslatt,  the  place  became  intolerable  to  her  and  she 
departed  to  her  sister's  an  equally  distinguished  Troll, 
who  lived  in  Skurugata,  which  has  been  mentioned  in  a 
preceding  story. 

Dame  Soasan  was  very  clever  and  rich,  also  the 
possessor  of  a  very  bad  temper.  It  was  advisable, 
therefore,  not  to  anger  her  in  any  way,  for  such  as  were 
so  unfortunate  were  instantly  punished. 

A  trooper  of  that  time,  belonging  to  the  Hussars  of 
Smaland,  by  name  Grevendal,  serving  under  Apelarp 
in  Mis  by  parish,  stood  one  morning  on  guard  in  a  dis- 
tant part  of  the  drill  grounds,  when  he  saw,  wandering 
toward  him,  along  the  edge  of  a  wood,  a  very  little  old 
woman,  whom  he  rashly  assailed  with  scoffing  and  vile 
epithets,  whereupon  he  received  a  blow  on  the  ear  from 
some  unseen  hand,  which  sent  him  flying  to  the  top  of 
a  tall  pine  tree  near  by,  where  he  remained  unable  to 
descend  until  assisted  down  by  his  comrades. 

Toward  those  who  were  careful  not  to  offend  her 
the  woman  exhibited  much  kindness  and  extended 
many  favors.  A  poor  old  woman  of  the  human  family 
living  near  Soasan,  in  a  little  hut,  was  one  time  in  great 
distress,  her  table  bare  and  no  one  near  to  help  her, 
with  famine,  already  a  guest  in  her  hut,  menacing  her 
with  terrible  glare. 

Late  one  evening  a  knock  was  heard  upon  the  hut 
door, 


SMALAND.  49 

"Come  in,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  answered 
the  old  woman,  wondering  who  her  visitor  might  be. 

u  In  that  name  I  can  not  enter,  but  here  is  work  for 
you  from  the  mistress  of  the  mountain.  Spin  beauti- 
ful yarn,  but  do  not  wet  the  threads  with  spittle,  for 
then  it  will  become  christened  and  that  the  madam  will 
not  tolerate." 

"Where  shall  I  leave  the  yarn  ?"  asked  the  trem- 
bling woman. 

"  Go  straight  forward  into  the  woods,  where  you 
will  find  a  smooth  green  lawn.  Lay  the  yarn  there 
and  next  day  you  shall  have  your  pay." 

The  old  woman  began  at  once  to  spin  the  flax 
which  she  found  outside  the  cottage  door,  but  during 
the  work  stood  a  vessel  of  water  beside  her  with  which 
to  wet  the  thread. 

The  yarn  was  soon  finished  and  she  betook  herself, 
with  profit  and  pleasure  in  prospect,  to  the  wood.  As 
the  Troll's  servant  maid  had  declared  she  came  to  a 
beautiful  glade  encircled  by  high  trees.  She  there 
laid  down  the  yarn  and  hastened  to  return  home,  not 
daring  to  look  behind  her.  The  next  day  she  went  again 
to  the  spot  and  found  a  new  bundle  of  flax,  also  sev- 
eral silver  pieces. 

Now  followed  a  period  of  prosperity  for  the  poor 
woman.  She  accumulated  money  from  her  work,  be- 
came rich,  but  at  the  same  time  avaricious,  and  forgot 
the  prayers,  which  she  had  never  before  neglected, 
when  she  retired  to  rest. 

Finally,  she  did  not  even  trouble  herself  to  keep 
faith  with  the  Trolls,  but  spun  the  yarn  according 


50  SMALAND. 

to  general  custom,  wetting  the  thread  with  her 
spittle. 

The  skeins  of  yarn  were  deposited  in  the  usual 
place,  but  when  she  went  the  next  day  to  get  her  re- 
ward she  was  unable  to  find  the  glade  again,  and  in  the 
end  went  astray  in  the  woods,  from  which  she  did  not 
succeed  in  finding  her  way  home  before  a  whole  day 
later.  Upon  arriving  home,  as  was  her  e very-day  cus- 
tom, she  brought  forth  and  was  about  to  count  over 
her  money,  when  she  found  that  all  the  silver  pieces 
had  been  transformed  into  small  stones. 

Want  pursued  her  now  with  greater  severity  than 
ever,  for  none  would  help  one  who  was  known  to  have 
had  to  do  with  the  infamous  Soasan  dame,  and  the 
old  woman  died  shortly  after  in  great  poverty  and 
distress. 

A  girl  who  many  years  ago  was  a  servant  in  the 
house  of  a  Senator  of  Eksjo,  named  Lind,  went  one  day 
to  find  the  cattle,  which  usually  grazed  in  the  woods 
surrounding  Soasan.  The  animals,  for  some  time  back, 
had  not  thrived  upon  the  pastures  allotted  them  and 
were  wont  to  wander  far  away  in  search  of  food,  it  was 
supposed,  so,  at  times  the  girl,  notwithstanding  the 
most  diligent  search,  was  unable  to  find  them,  and 
when  they  were  found,  the  cows  had  already  been 
milked.  This  day  she  went  plodding  sadly  along 
through  the  dark  woods,  thinking  of  the  scolding  which 
awaited  her  at  home,  when  she  returned  with  neither 
cows  nor  milk ;  her  mind  was  also  busied  with  the  many 
stories  she  had  heard  about  ghosts  and  Trolls  who 


SMALAND.  51 

infested  the  woods,  when  she  saw  two  pair  of  Pigmies, 
a  boy  and  girl,  sitting  under  the  shadow  of  a  large  pine 
tree. 

"  It  is  best  to  be  polite  when  on  the  Trolls'  own 
ground,"  thought  the  girl.  Whereupon  she  addressed 
the  Troll  infants  in  a  very  friendly  manner  and  invited 
each  to  partake  of  some  bread  ond  butter  which  she 
had  with  her  in  her  little  bag.  The  children  ate  with 
exceeding  greed,  a  disgusting  sight,  as  they  had  ex- 
tremely large  mouths  into  which  the  bread  and  butter 
vanished  rapidly.  When  the  girl  was  about  to  depart 
she  heard  a  voice  saying,  "  As  you  have  taken  pity  on 
my  children,  you  shall  hereafter  escape  searching  after 
the  cows.  Go  home !  They  stand  at  the  gate.  " 

From  that  day  the  girl  no  longer  had  to  search  for 
the  cows ;  they  came  to  the  gate  every  night  of  their 
own  accord,  sweet-laden  with  a  rich  tribute  of  the  most 
excellent  milk. 


CSiaut 


In  the  parish  of  Lofta  in  the  department  of  North 
Tjust  there  lies,  near  the  sea,  a  mountain  called  Puke 
Mountain.  From  the  land  side  running  into  the  mount- 
ain, there  is  a  long  fissure  terminating  in  a  cave  or 
hall,  where  formerly  lived  a  giant  called  Puke,  concern- 
ing whom  many  stories  are  still  quite  prevalent  among 
the  people. 

When  the  church  at  Lofta  was  built  the  giant  was 
sorely  tormented  by  the  church  bells.  He  suffered 
great  discomfort  even  from  the  water  courses  which 
gurgled  out  of  the  mountain,  and  in  a  meadow  directly 
north  of  Lofta  Church,  was  formed  a  pond,  Kofre 
Spring,  in  which  holy  baptism  was  sometimes  per- 
formed. 

Puke  often  declared  that  he  must  depart  from  his 
mountain  because  of  Kofre  Spring  and  Lofta  scolding, 
meaning  the  church  bells  in  Lofta. 

One  Sunday  the  Giant  was  more  than  usually  dis- 
turbed by  the  long  continued  bell  ringing,  and  sent  his 
daughter  to  the  top  of  the  mountain,  from  which,  with 
her  apron  strings  converted  into  a  sling,  she  threw  an 

*This  legend  is  a  complex  of  different  giant  stories  localized  at  Puke 
Berg— Puke  Mountain.  Nearly  every  parish  has  its  legend,  in  which  the 
resident  giant  has  been  angered  with  the  noise  of  the  church  bells,  and 
has  sought  to  destroy  his  disturber.  The  legend  of  the  giantess  who  took 
the  children  from  their  plowing  and  bore  them  to  her  giant  parent  is  not 
confined  to  the  Giant  Puke.  Similar  legends  are  current  in  KlSppe,  in  Oldes- 

borg  parish,  in  Dalland,  etc. 

53 


SMALAND.  53 

enormous  stone  at  the  church  tower.  But  the  force 
was  too  great,  and  the  stone  fell  upon  the  other  side  of 
the  church,  where  it  lies  to  this  day,  as  large  as  a  good 
sized  cottage. 

Some  days  later  the  giant  maiden,  while  wandering 
over  the  surrounding  country,  was  attracted  by  three 
children  at  play  on  a  hill  near  by.  They  had  discov- 
ered a  fallen  branch  of  an  oak  tree,  and  to  this  they 
had  fastened  a  rope,  pretending  it  was  a  plow,  which 
one  was  holding  as  the  others  dragged  it  over  the 
ground.  Surprised  at  this  curious  implement  and  the 
small  creatures,  she  gathered  them  all  into  her  apron 
and  ran  home  with  them  to  her  giant  father.  He, 
however,  found  no  pleasure  in  the  intended  playthings 
but  said  only : 

"  Take  them  out  again,  our  time  is  past;  it  is  now 
these  who  shall  rule  over  us." 

In  the  end  Puke  became  dissatisfied  with  every- 
thing and  moved  to  Gotland,  where  he  was  some  time 
later  found  by  a  ship's  master,  to  whom  he  gave  a  box, 
and  bade  him  offer  it  upon  the  altar  at  Lofta  while  the 
people  were  in  church,  cautioning  him  strongly  not  to 
open  it  before. 

"  It'  you  do  as  I  bid  you,"  said  the  Giant,  "  you  will 
fin'd,  under  the  left  fore-foot  of  Lofta's  white  mare — 
meaning  the  church — a  key,  with  which  you  are  to 
proceed  to  Puke  Mountain.  There  you  will  see  a  door, 
which  you  shall  open.  When  you  are  inside  you  will 
meet  two  black  dogs.  Do  not  be  afraid  of  them,  but 
press  .forward  into  the  room,  where  you  will  find  a 
table  and  upon  it  many  beautiful  silver  vessels.  Of 


54  SMALAND. 

them  you  may  take  the  largest,  but  if  you  take  anything 
more,  misfortune  will  surely  overtake  you." 

The  captain  kept  this  all  in  mind,  but  when  he  ap- 
proached Puke  Mountain,  on  his  journey  homeward, 
the  conversation  of  the  ship's  people  was  turned  to 
the  box.  After  many  deliberations,  it  was  determined 
to  throw  it  overboard  onto  a  small  island  which  lay  near 
by.  This  was  done,  and  upon  the  instant  the  island  was 
in  flames,  and  even  to-day  it  is  brown  and  desolate  as 
if  it  had  recently  been  swept  b}^  a  fire. 


In  one  of  the  picturesque  valleys  of  romantic 
Sm aland  and  on  the  Black  River  is  a  noted  waterfall 
called  Stalpet,  which,  after  placidly  winding,  by  many 
hundred  bends,  for  a  considerable  distance,  through 
green  meadows,  here  makes  a  precipitous  descent  over 
a  rocky  cliff,  then  quietly  pursues  its  course  to  a  lake 
a  short  distance  beyond. 

ISTot  far  from  Stalpet  lies  an  old  manor,  dark, 
gloomy  and  unoccupied.  A  feeling  of  oppression 
comes  over  one  in  the  presence  of  this  large  building, 

55 


66  SMALAND. 

barred  gates  and  nailed  up  windows,  and  the  question 
is  asked,  why  should  this  naturally  beautiful  place  be 
"untenanted  ?  Why  is  there  not,  at  least,  a  watchman 
or  an  attendant  ?  There  must  be  some  unusual  reason 
for  such  a  condition  of  things. 

Let  us  listen  to  the  narration  of  a  good  old  woman, 
resident  in  the  neighborhood,  who  once  gave  us  the 
story.  We  use  her  words,  which,  may  be,  enter  too 
much  into  the  detail,  but  bear  with  them  the  natural 
freshness  and  coloring  that,  it  is  hoped,  will  not  be 
tedious  to  the  reader.  We  are  given  to  understand 
that  if  we  will  have  the  story  we  must  begin  at  the 
beginning,  and  that  is,  like  "  Milton's  Paradise  Lost," 
with  the  beginning  of  all  things. 

"Know  that  when  Satan  was  cast  out  of  heaven, on 
account  of  his  pride,  and  fell  to  the  earth,  there  were 
other  spirits,  which,  like  him,  were  also  cast  out. 
These  spirits,  in  their  fall,  were  borne  hither  and 
thither  on  the  winds  like  the  golden  leaves  in  the 
autumn  storm,  falling  to  earth  finally,  some  into 
the  sea,  some  into  the  forests  and  some  upon  the 
mountains.  Where  they  fell  there  they  remained,  so 
the  saying  runs,  and  found  there  their  field  of  action. 
After  their  abiding  places  they  were  given  different 
names.  Thus  we  have  sea  nymphs,  mountain  fairies, 
wood  fairies,  elves  and  other  spirits,  all  of  which  are 
described  in  the  catechism. 

Now,  it  happened,  that  on  that  day  two  spirits 
fell  upon  the  rock  where  this  old  Katrineholm  Manor 
house  now  stands.  In  this  mountain  their  offspring 
lived  many  hundreds,  yes,  thousands  of  years.  Though 


SMALAND.  6? 

some  of  them  were  from  time  to  time  killed  by  lightning 
and  otherwise,  they  were  not  exterminated  and  had  not 
been  approached  by  any  human  being. 

It  happened,  a  long  time  ago,  that  a  gentleman, 
who  owned  this  estate,  wishing  to  build  himself  a 
residence,  and,  like  a  wise  architect,  to  have  a  solid 
foundation  for  it,  selected  this  rock. 

The  mountain  king — for  he  was  a  king  among  his 
people — was  very  much  displeased  with  this,  but  his 
wife,  who  was  of  a  milder  disposition,  pacified  her 
husband  and  urged  him  to  wait  and  do  their  neighbors 
no  harm  until  it  could  be  known  whether  harm  might 
be  expected  from  them. 

When  the  house  was  finished  the  gentleman  married 
a  beautiful  young  lady  whose  presence  at  once  filled  it 
with  sunshine  and  joy.  But  sorrow  visits  many  who 
little  expect  it  and  so  it  was  here. 

One  day  when  the  young  wife  was  alone  in  her 
work-room,  a  little  woman,  unexpectedly  and  unan- 
nounced, stood  before  her.  Bowing,  she  said :  "  My 
mistress  bids  that  you  visit  her,  and  directs  me  to  say 
to  }TOU  that  if  you  consent  she  will  reward  you  richly." 
The  young  wife  wondered  much  at  such  a  request, 
but  having  a  brave  heart  and  a  clear  conscience,  she 
promised  to  follow.  The  little  woman  led  the  Avay 
down  stairs  to  the  cellar,  where  she  opened  a  door,  un- 
til now  undiscovered,  revealing  a  passage  into  the 
mountain.  Entering  the  passage,  which  was  long  and 
dark,  she  finally  emerged  into  a  large,  well-lighted  cave, 
whose  walls  were  sparkling  with  gold  and  silver.  Here, 
pacing  back  and  forth,  as  if  in  great  anguish,  was  a 


58  SMALAND. 

little  man  who  looked  at  the  new  comer  searchingly, 
and  with  an  humble  and-  pleading  expression  in  his 
eyes,  but  said  nothing.  The  little  woman  pushed  aside 
a  curtain  to  an  inner  cave,  at  the  further  end  of  which 
the  visitor  saw,  lying  upon  an  elegant  bed,  another 
little  woman  sick  and  laboring  in  child-birth.  The 
Christian  visitor's  presence  had  the  effect  to  almost 
immediately  still  the  pains  of  the  saffering  woman, 
whereupon  she  drew  forth  a  box  filled  with  precious 
stones,  pearls  and  jewels.  "Take  this  as  a  memento 
of  your  visit  to  me,  but  let  none  know  what  has  hap- 
pened to  you  this  day,  for  as  surely  as  you  do  great 
misfortune  will  overtake,  you  and  yours,"  said  the 
Mountain  Queen,  and  directed  that  the  young  wife  be 
given  safe  conduct  to  her  room  again.  As  soon  as  left 
alone  the  precious  box  was  carefully  secreted. 

Time  sped  on.  Everything  went  well,  and  in  due 
time  the  young  wife  herself  became  the  mother  of  two 
beautiful  sons.  One  day,  during  the  mother's  absence, 
the  boys  discovered  the  secreted  box,  and  had  just 
begun  to  play  with  it  when  their  father  entered.  He 
was  greatly  surprised  to  find  such  a  treasure  in  the 
hands  of  the  children  and  began  at' once  to  question  the 
mother,  who  had  also  entered,  as  to  how  she  became 
its  possessor.  At  first  she  refused  to  betray  the  secret, 
and  with  her  refusal  the  husband  became  more  curious 
and  suspicious,  finally  angry,  when  he  declared  his  wife 
a  Troll,  and  that  he  himself  had  seen  her  come  riding 
through  the  air  on  a  broomstick.  The  poor  wife  was 
then  obliged  to  reveal  her  visit  to  the  Troll  queen  and 
the  circumstances  attending  it. 


SMALAND.  59 

"  You  and  I  have  seen  our  happiest  days,  for  your 
curiosity  will  bring  us  greater  misfortune  than  you 
have  dreamed  of,"  said  she. 

A  few  days  later  there  appeared  in  the  adjacent 
lake  an  island,  which,  strangely  enough,  seemed  to  rise 
from  its  bosom  when  anything  remarkable  was  about 
to  take  place.  It  is  related  that  shortly  before  the 
death  of  Charles  XII.,  .also  before  that  of  Gustav 
III.,  the  island  became  visible,  and  it  is  even  said 
that  a  king  one  time  carved  his  name  on  a  stone  on  the 
island,  and  that  stone  and  name,  when,  on  another  oc- 
casion the  island  was  visible,  were  to  be  seen. 

Whether  the  island  was  now  again  visible  by  some 
power  of  the  Trolls  in  unison  with  the  water  spirits  is 
not  known;  it  is  enough  that  the  island  appeared,  and 
that  the  lord  of  the  manor  became  possessed  with  a 
great  desire  to  go  to  and  inspect  it.  - 

He  expressed  a  wish  that  his  wife  and  boys  should 
accompany  him.  The  mother,  who  foresaw  misfort- 
une, opposed  the  project  with  all  her  energy,  and  upon 
her  knees  begged  and  prayed  her  husband  to  postpone 
his  visit,  but  without  avail. 

Finally,  the  willful  man  took  the  boys,  leaving  his 
wife  at  home,  and  rowed  out  to  the  island.  Just  as 
the  boat  touched  the  enchanted  island  both  boys  sprang 
upon  it,  and  at  the  same  instant  both  island  and  boys 
vanished  from  the  father's  sight  to  be  seen  no  more. 

The  poor  mother  mourned  herself  to  death,  and  the 
father  departed  to  foreign  lands,  where  he  also  died,  but 
the  building  on  Katrinesholm  has  never  since  been  oc- 
cupied, and  there  is  little  probability  that  any  one  will 
in  the  future  prosper  in  it. 


Upon  a  small  headland  which  juts  from  the  north 
into  Lake  Bolmen,  lies  an  old  mansion,  Tiraholm,  by 
the  peasantry  called  Tira. 

A  long  time  ago  there  lived  here  a  knight  who  had 
a  wife  and  an  only  child,  a  beautiful  daughter,  named 
Malfred.  In  the  whole  country  there  was  not  another 
so  fair,  and  the  fame  of  her  beauty  traveled  far  and 
wide,  alluring  many  suitors  to  her  feet.  But  Half  red 
was  unmoved  by  their  attentions  and  turned  them 
away,  one  after  the  other. 

One  day  a  stately  knight,  Ebbe  Skamelson  by  name, 
who  had  just  returned  from  foreign  lands,  where  he 
had  won  his  golden  spurs,  drew  up  in  the  court-yard. 

With  downcast  eyes  and  blushing  cheeks  the  young 
lady  extended  her  hand  when  they  met,  to  greet  the 
stranger,  who  courteously  returned  her  salutation. 

The  stranger  knight  became  for  a  time  a  guest  at 
Tiraholm,  and  the  report  soon  went  out,  to  the  grief  of 
many  swains  who  had  indulged  in  dreams  of  sooner  or 
later  winning  the  hand  of  the  beautiful  maiden,  that 
Ebbe  Skamelson  and  Mai f red  were  betrothed.  But,  as 
both  were  still  young,  the  Knight  expressed  a  desire  to 
join  the  Crusades  to  the  Holy  Land,  where  he  hoped  to 

*See  also  J.  Allvini's  description  of  Veslbo  Municipality.  The  same  le- 
g-end is  also  current  in  Halland,  with  the  difference  that  Ebbe's  lady  love 
is  said  to  have  resided  upon  an  estate  in  Tiveden,  and  that  the  remains  of 
the  exiled  Knight  now  lie  under  a  granite  rock  near  the  entrance  to  Gal- 
linge  Church. 

60 


SMALAND.  01 

add  to  his  honors,  and  stipulated  that  he  be  given 
seven  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  promised  to 
return  and  celebrate  his  nuptials. 

Some  time  after  Ebbe  departed,  the  old  Knight, 
Malfred's  father,  died,  and  it  became  very  lonesone  for 
the  daughter  and  mother  in  Tiraholm.  Year  after  year 
passed  with  no  word  from  Ebbe.  The  roses  of  the 
young  maiden's  cheeks  faded  and  the  dark  eyes  lost 
their  lustre.  The  mother  advised  a  remedy  and  be- 
trothed her  to  another. 

Under  the  impression  that  Ebbe  had  fallen  by  the 
sword  of  the  infidels  she  prepared  a  wedding  feast,  and 
the  newly  betrothed  couple  were  duly  joined  according 
to  the  rites  of  the  church. 

But  just  as  the  wedding  guests  sat  themselves  at 
table  a  gold-laced  Knight  rode  into  the  court  at  great 
speed.  The  bride  became  pale  under  her  crown,  but 
the  mother,  who  recognized  in  the  stranger  the  Knight 
Ebbe,  hastened  to  meet  him  in  the  yard,  and  reminded 
him  that  the  seven  years  had  passed,  at  the  same  time 
informing  him  that  his  love  now  sat  in  the  bridal  chair 
with  another. 

In  great  anger  the  Knight  sprang  to  his  horse,  drew 
his  sword,  and  after  reproaching  her  for  breaking  her 
promise,  with  one  blow  he  severed  her  head  from  her 
body.  His  sword  still  dripping  with  blood,  he  sprang 
from  his  saddle  and  into  the  hall  where  the  festivities 
were  in  progress,  where  the  bride  sank  under  his 
sword,  and  the  bridegroom  at  another  deadly  blow  fell 
by  her  side. 

Overtaken  by  repentance  the  murderer  flung  himself 


62  SMALAND. 

upon  his  horse  and  rode  away  into  the  dark  forest, 
but  the  pricking  of  his  conscience  allowed  him  no  rest. 
Night  and  day  he  saw  the  apparitions  of  his  victims, 
and  nowhere  could  lie  find  an  escape  from  them. 

Finally  he  determined  to  go  to  Rome,  and  at  the 
feet  of  the  Holy  Father  ask  absolution  from  his  crimes. 
A  large  sum  of  money  procured  for  him  from  the 
Pope  the  desired  indulgence,  but  absolution  from  a 
man  did  not  possess  the  power  to  quiet  his  conscience, 
still  his  soul's  pain  or  quell  the  storm  raging  in  his 
heart.  lie  then  returned  to  the  home  of  his  love,  and 
asked  the  authorities  to  impose  upon  him  the  severest 
punishment. 

After  a  long  deliberation  he  was  sentenced  by  the 
court  to  be  chained  hand  and  foot,  in  which  condition 
he  must  visit  and  pass  a  day  in  each  one  of  the  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five  islands  in  Lake  Bolmen.  The  con- 
demned man  went  at  once  about  the  execution  of  his 
sentence.  In  order  that  he  might  get  from  one  island 
to  the  other  he  was  given  a  small  boat  with  which,  like 
a  wounded  bird,  he  laboriously  propelled  himself  on 
his  terrible  journey. 

When,  at  the  end  of  the  year,  his  sentence  was  com- 
pleted he  went  ashore  on  the  estate  of  Anglestadt  in 
the  district  of  Sunnebro.  Here  he  went  up  to  a  vil- 
lage and  rested  over  night  in  a  barn.  Meantime  his 
sorrowful  fate  had  made  a  deep  impression  upon  the 
people.  A  bard  had  composed  a  song  reciting  the 
woes  of  Ebbe,  and  a  soothsayer  had  predicted  that  up- 
on hearing  the  song  sung  Ebbe's  chains  would  fall  off 
and  his  death  follow  immediately.  While  he  was 


SMALAND.  63 

lying  concealed  in  the  barn,  a  milkmaid  came  in  the 
morning  to  milk  the  cows.  She  began  to  sing  "  Knight 
Ebbe's  Song,"  to  which  he  listened  with  intense  inter- 
est. At  the  conclusion  of  the  last  verse  he  cried  out 
with  loud  voice :  "  Some  is  true  and  some  is  false." 

Thoroughly  frightened,  the  girl  sprang  into  the 
house  and  related  what  had  happened.  In  great  haste 
the  people  gathered  around  the  barn  where  Ebbe  was 
lying,  commanding  him  to  inform  them  where  he  came 
from  and  who  he  was.  Still  cumbered  by  his  chains 
he  crawled  from  his  shelter  and  gave  his  name,  at  the 
same  time  requesting  them  to  conduct  him  to  the 
churchyard. 

Between  the  village  and  the  church  of  Angelstadt 
lies  a  stone  sunken  in  the  ground.  When  he  came  to 
this  Ebbe  mounted  it,  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven  and 
cried  out :  "  If  I  am  worthy  to  be  buried  in  conse- 
crated ground,  so  let  it  be !" 

Instantly  the  fetters  fell  from  his  hands  and  feet 
and  he  sank  to  the  earth  a  corpse. 

Those  present  took  his  body  and  carried  it  to  the 
church  where  they  buried  it  in  the  path  outside  the 
churchyard  wall,  so  that  all  who  went  into  the  church- 
yard should  tramp  upon  his  grave.  But  the  next  night 
a  long  section  of  the  wall,  right  in  front  of  the  grave, 
was  miraculously  thrown  down.  The  peasants  at  once 
relaid  it,  but  the  next  night  it  was  again  leveled.  It 
was  then  understood  that  these  happenings  were  signs 
that  the  unfortunate  man  should  be  allowed  a  resting 
place  in  consecrated  ground,  whereupon  the  churchyard 
was  extended  so  that  the  grave  was  enclosed  by  its 


64  SMALAND. 

walls,  and  a  low  stone  even  to  this  day  marks  the 
resting  place  of  the  outcast.  From  the  fetters,  which 
for  a  long  time  hung  in  Anglestaclt  church,  three  iron 
crosses,  resembling  the  small  crosses  which  were  in 
former  times  set  up  in  memory  of  the  departed,  have 
been  made  and  placed  upon  the  present  church- 


gottan  and  ttie 


In  Ingeltrop,  a  parish  of  North  Wedbo,  there  once 
lived  a  farmer  who  had  a  servant  named  Johan. 

*  Before  the  days  of  railroads  and  regularly  equipped  stage  lines,  it 
was  the  duty,  established  by  law,  of  the  farmers  and  others  owning  horses 
to,  in  their  turn,  furnish  travelers  with  means  of  conveyance  from  the  inn 
of  their  neighborhood  to  the  next.  Upon  the  arrival  of  a  traveler  at  an  inn 
a  servant  was  dispatched  to  the  neighbor  whose  turn  it  was,  and  he  was  ex- 
pected to  promptly  furnish  horse,  wagon  and  driver. 

65 


86  SMALAND. 

One  day  a  traveler  arrived  from  Myntorp  Inn,  and 
the  farmer  having  been  notified  that  it  was  his  turn  to 
furnish  a  conveyance  for  him  to  the  next  inn,  Johan 
was  sent  to  the  pasture  to  catch  a  horse.  A  halter 
thrown  over  bis  shoulder,  he  set  out,  whistling  the  latest 
love  song.  Arriving  at  the  pasture,  it  was  soon  clear  to 
him  that  "  Bronte  "  was  in  no  humor  to  submit  to  the 
halter,  and  though  he  now  and  then  allowed  himself  to 
be  approached,  no  sooner  was  the  attempt  made  to  lay 
hold  on  him  than  he  was  off,  with  head  and  heels  in  the 
air,  to  a  safe  distance.  Johan  persevered,  perspiration 
streaming  from  his  forehead,  but  in  vain.  Angered  at 
last,  he  began  to  swear  in  a  most  ungodly  manner,  still 
pursuing  the  horse  until  his  progress  was  suddenly 
checked  by  a  high  cliff,  to  the  very  base  of  which  he 
had  run  before  discovering  it.  Naturally  casting  his 
glance  upward,  as  he  halted,  he  saw,  sitting  upon  a 
crag,  a  beautiful  maiden,  apparently  combing  her  hair. 

"  Are  you  there,  my  dear  boy  ? "  called  the  maiden. 

Johan,  not  easily  frightened,  answered  her  cheerily: 

"  Yes,  my  sweetheart." 

u  Come  here,  then,"  called  the  maiden. 

"  I  can't,"  replied  Johan. 

"  Try,  Johan."  And  he  did,  to  his  astonishment 
finding  a  foothold  on  the  smooth  cliff  where  before  no 
unevenness  was  discoverable,  and  soon  he  was  at  the 
maiden's  side.  She  looked  at  him  with  great,  won- 
dering eyes,  then,  suddenly  enveloping  him  in  a  mist, 
clouded  his  understanding  so  that  he  was  no  longer 
master  of  his  movements,  and  was,  in  fact,  transformed 
completely  from  the  Johan  he  had  been  to  a  being  like 


RMALAND.  67 

his  companion.  He  forgot  horse,  home,  relatives  and 
friends.  Half  unconscious,  he  was  conducted  into  the 
mountain,  and  Avas  gone  from  the  sight  and  power  of 
those  who  would  seek  him. 

"  Bronte  "  was  in  harness  many  good  days  there- 
after, and  the  farmer  became  the  driver,  for,  as  his  sons 
were  growing  up,  he  did  not  wish  to  hire  another  serv- 
ant in  Johan's  stead. 

One  day,  many  years  after  Johan's  disappearance, 
it  was  again  the  farmer's  turn  to  furnish  a  horse  to  a 
traveler.  Grumbling  at  the  fate  of  Johan,  he  went  to 
the  pasture. 

"  It  was  too  bad  for  the  boy,"  said  he  to  himself. 
"I  wonder  if  he  has  been  caught  by  the  Trolls?"  At 
the  same  time  he  chanced  to  look  upward  at  the  cliff 
where  the  servant  had  seen  the  Troll  maiden,  and  there 
stood  Johan,  but  with  lusterless  eyes>  staring  into 
vacancy. 

"Johan,  my  dear  boy,  is  that  you?"  shouted  the 
farmer.  "  Come  down." 

"  I  can  not,"  answered  Johan,  with  husky,  unnatural 
voice. 

Hereupon  the  farmer  threw  his  cap  to  Johan,  which 
the  latter  picked  up  and  put  on  his  head. 

"  Come  down,"  cried  the  farmer,  "  before  the  Trolls 
come.  In  the  name  of  the  saints,  come  down." 

"  I  can't,"  said  Johan  again. 

"  Then  the  farmer  threw  his  clothes  up,  garment 
after  garment,  and  when  Johan  had  clothed  himself  in 
them  he  received  power  enough  that  he  was  able  to 
crawl  down  the  cliff.  His  master  took  him  by  the 


68  SMALAND. 

hand,  and  without  looking  back  they  hastened  home, 
the  farmer  repeating : 

"Pshaw!  you  cunning  black  Trolls!  As  a  stone, 
I'll  quiet  your  wicked  tongues  that  they  may  neither 
evil  think  nor  speak  or  do  ought  against  me." 

They  arrived  home,  the  one  dressed  the  other  na- 
ked. The  traveler  was  obliged  to  procure  another 
horse,  for  in  the  house  of  the  farmer  the  joy  was  so 
great  that  none  there  had  a  thought  of  driving  him. 
Johan  was  never  again  the  same  man  as  before,  but 
remained  gloomy  and  rarely  spoke. 

His  master  asked  him  many  times  what  his  occupa- 
tion was  in  the  mountain,  but  upon  this  subject  he  was 
silent.  It  happened  that  Johan  was  taken  sick  and 
called  for  a  confessor,  to  whom,  when  he  confessed  his 
sins,  he  related  also  his  experience  in  the  mountain. 
His  chief  employment,  he  said,  had  been  to  steal  food 
for  the  Trolls.  For  this  purpose  the  Trolls  put  a  red  hat 
upon  him,  when  he  could,  in  a  very  short  time,  fly  to 
Jonkoping  through  locked  doors  and  into  the  mer- 
chants' stores,  where  he  took  corn,  salt,  fish  and  what- 
ever he  wished.  From  the  Troll  cap  he  received  such 
power  that  he  could  take  a  sack  of  rye  under  each  arm 
and  a  barrel  of  fish  upon  his  back,  and  fly  as  lightly 
through  the  air  as  with  no  burden  whatever. 

"  It  was  wrong  of  me  and  hard  on  the  merchants," 
said  Johan,  "  but  it  was  the  fault  of  the  Trolls.  I  L 
there  were  no  Trolls  in  the  world  the  merchants  would 
become  rich,  but  now  they  must  pay  tribute,  and  so 
are  kept  on  the  verge  of  bankruptcy."  And  Johan 
was  done. 


Many  hundreds  of  years  ago,  at  a  time  when  Swe- 
den was  invaded  by  enemies,  the  people  of  Stenbrohult 
gathered  their  money  and  jewelry  together  and  con- 
cealed them  in  a  large  copper  kettle,  which  they  sunk 
to  the  bottom  of  Lake  Mockeln. 

There  it  lies  to-day  and  will  lie  for  all  time,  though 
many  have  touched  it  with  poles  when  driving  fish  into 
their  nets.  Meantime,  at  each  touch,  it  has  moved 
further  away  until  it  now  lies  near  the  outlet  of  the 
lake,  where  it  is  so  deep  that  it  can  not  be  reached. 

When  the  other  residents  of  the  place  hid  their 
treasures  in  the  lake  there  was  a  rich  farmer  who  buried 
his  silver  at  Kalfhagsberg  in  two  cans.  Shortly  after 
he  died  so  suddenly  that  no  opportunity  was  given  to 
dig  them  up.  Immediately  following  his  death,  two 
lights  were  seen  every  evening  over  the  place  where 
the  treasures  lay  hidden,  a  sure  sign  that  an  evil 
spirit  or  dragon  had  appropriated  the  treasure. 

A  poor  cottager  heard  of  it,  and  knowing  that  man 
may  acquire  undisputed  possession  of  the  treasures  of 
the  earth>  if  dug  up  on  a  Thursday  evening  and  carried 
away  without  looking  back  or  uttering  a  word  to  any 
one,  he  already  regarded  himself  as  good  as  the  owner 
of  the  wealth.  Betaking  himself  to  the  place,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  the  cans  out  of  the  mountain,  but  on 
the  way  home  he  met  one  after  another  of  his  neighbors 


70  SMALAND. 

who  asked  where  he  had  been.  The  old  man  knew 
well  that  the  evil  spirits  had  a  hand  in  this,  and 
that  what  appeared  to  be  his  neighbors  was  nothing 
less  than  the  spirits  transformed,  and  he  was,  therefore, 
stubbornly  quiet.  But  finally  he  met  the  priest,  who 
stood  by  the  wayside  and  greeted  him  as  he  was  pass- 
ing with  a  "  good  evening,  neighbor."  Hereupon  the 
old  man  dared  keep  quiet  no  longer,  but  took  his  hat 
off  and  saluted,  "good  evening,  father,"  in  return,  at 
the  same  instant  he  tripped  against  a  root  and  dropped 
the  cans.  When  he  stopped  to  pick  them  up  there  lay 
in  their  stead  only  a  pair  of  little  old  birch-bark  boxes, 
and  the  old  man  was  compelled  to  go  home,  his  mission 
fruitless. 


Many  years  ago  there  lived  in  Gullb- 
jers  a  family  of   peasants,  who  had  a 
daughter,  Elsa.     As  she  was  the  only  child  she  was 

*  An  old  Gotland  legend,  by  Madame  D.  Kindstrand,  and  in  the  Family' 
Journal,  elaborated  by  C.  J.  Bergman.  Hop  O'  My  Thumb,  Lick  the  Pot, 
etc.,  are  the  names  given  the  fingers. 

ri 


^  GOTLAND. 

much  adored,  and  her  parents  sought  in  every  way 
to  anticipate  her  slightest  wish.  As  soon  as  she  had 
been  confirmed  she  was  sent  to  the  city  to  learn  how 
to  sew,  and  also  city  manners  and  customs.  But 
in  the  city  she  acquired  little  other  knowledge  than  how 
to  adorn  herself,  and  to  scorn  housework  and  manual 
labor. 

When  she  was  twenty  years  old  she  won  the  love 
of  an  industrious  and  honorable  young  farmer,  named 
Gunner,  and  before  many  months  had  gone  by  they 
were  man  and  wife. 

In  the  beginning  all  was  pleasure,  but  she  soon  be- 
gan to  weary  with  her  many  household  duties.  Early 
one  morning,  shortly  before  Christmas,  there  was  life 
and  activity  in  Gunner's  yard.  Elsa  had  hardly  risen 
from  bed  when  the  servant,  Olle,  sprang  in  and  said : 

"  Dear  mistress,  get  ready  our  haversacks,  for  we 
are  going  to  the  woods,  and  we  must  be  off  if  we  are  to 
get  back  before  evening." 

"  Dear  mother,  the  leaven  is  working,"  called  one  of 
the  servant  girls,  aand  if  you  will  come  out  now  we 
will  have  more  than  usually  good  bread." 

The  butcher,  Zarkis,  who  had  already  stuck  a  large 
hog  and  several  small  pigs,  had  just  stepped  in  to  get 
the  accustomed  dram,  when  old  Brita  came  rushing 
after  material  for  candle  wicks.  Lastly  came  Gun- 
ner, out  of  patience  because  the  servant  had  not  yet 
started  for  the  woods. 

"  My  departed  mother,''  said  he,  with  kindly  ear- 
nestness, "  always  prepared  everything  the  night  before 
when  people  were  expected  to  go  to  work  early  in  the 


GOTLAND.  73 

morning,  and  I  have  requested  you  to  do  likewise, 
Elsa.  But  do  not  forget  the  loom,  my  dear ;  there  are 
now  only  a  few  yards  of  cloth  remaining  to  be  woven, 
and  it  will  not  do  to  allow  it  to  lie  in  the  way  over  the 
holidays." 

Now,  wholly  out  of  patience,  Elsa  rushed  in  a  rage 
out  of  the  kitchen  to  the  house  in  which  the  loom 
stood,  slammed  the  door  furiously  behind  her  and  cast 
herself  weeping  upon  a  sofa. 

"  No ! "  shrieked  she.  "  I  will  no  longer  endure  this 
drudgery.  Who  could  have  thought  that  Gunner  would 
make  a  common  housewife  of  me,  to  wear  my  life  out 
thus  ?  Oh,  unhappy  me!  Is  there  no  one  who  can  help 
and  comfort  a  poor  creature  ? " 

"I  can,"  replied  a  solemn  voice,  and  before  her 
stood  a  white-haired  man  with  a  broad-brimmed  hat 
upon  his  head.  "  Do  not  be  alarmed,"  continued  he,  "  I 
came  to  proffer  you  the  help  for  which  you  have  just 
wished.  I  am  called  Old  Man  Hoberg.  I  know  your 
family  to  the  tenth  and  eleventh  generations.  Your 
first  ancestor  bade  me  stand  godfather  to  his  first  born. 
I  could  not  be  present  at  the  christening,  but  I  gave  a 
suitable  godfather's  present,  for  I  would  by  no  means 
be  the  meanest.  The  silver  I  then  gave  was  unfortu- 
nately a  blessing  for  no  one,  for  it  begot  only  pride 
and  laziness.  Your  family  long  ago  lost  the  riches, 
but  the  pride  and  laziness  remain  ;  nevertheless  I  will 
help  you,  for  you  are  at  heart  good  and  honest. 

"You  complain  at  the  life  of  drudgery  you  are 
compelled  to  lead,"  continued  he,  after  a  short  silence; 
"  this  comes  from  your  being  unaccustomed  to  work. 


74  GOTLAND. 

but  I  shall  give  you  ten  obedient  servants,  who  shall 
be  at  your  bidding  and  faithfully  serve  you  in  all  your 
undertakings."  Whereupon  he  shook  his  cloak,  and 
ten  comical  little  creatures  hopped  out  and  began  to 
put  the  room  in  order. 

"  Keach  here  your  fingers,"  commanded  the  old  man. 
Tremblingly,  Elsa  extended  her  hand ;  whereupon 
the  old  man  said  : 

«  Hop  O'  My  Thumb, 
"  Lick  the  Pot, 
"  Long  Pole, 
"  Heart  in  Hand, 
"  Little  Peter  Funny  Man— 
"  Away,  all  of  you,  to  your  places." 
In  an  instant  the  little  servants  had  vanished  into 
Elsa's  fingers,  and  even  the  old  man  had  disappeared. 
The  young  wife  sat  a  long  time  staring  at  her  hands, 
but  soon  she  experienced  a  wonderful  desire  to  work. 

"  Here  I  sit  and  dream,"  she  burst  forth  with  unusual 
cheerfulness  and  courage, "  and  it  is  already  seven  o'clock 
while  outside  all  are  waiting  for  me."  And  Elsa  hast- 
ened out  to  superintend  the  occupations  of  her  servants. 
Not  for  that  day  alone,  but  for  all  time  thereafter 
Elsa  entered  into  her  duties  with  as  much  pleasure  as 
she  would  formerly  have  found  in  a  dance.  No  one 
knew  what  had  happened,  but  all  marveled  at  the 
sudden  change.  None  was,  however,  more  pleased  and 
satisfied  than  the  young  wife  herself,  for  whom  work 
was  now  a  neccessity,  and  under  whose  hands  every- 
thing thereafter  flourished,  bringing  wealth  and  hap- 
piness to  the  young  couple. 


One  night  a  number  of  fishermen  quartered  them- 
selves in  a  hut  by  a  fishing  village  on  the  northwest 
shores  of  an  island.  After  they  had  gone  to  bed,  and 
while  they  were  yet  awake,  they  saw  a  white,  dew- 
besprinkled  woman's  hand  reaching  in  through  the 
door.  They  well  understood  that  their  visitor  was  a 
sea  nymph,  who  sought  their  destruction,  and  feigned 
unconsciousness  of  her  presence. 

The  following  day  their  number  was  added  to  by 
the  coming  of  a  young,  courageous  and  newly  married 
man  from  Kinnar,  in  Lummelund.  When  they  related 
to  him  their  adventure  of  the  night  before,  he  made 
fun  of  their  being  afraid  to  take  a  beautiful  woman  by 
the  hand,  and  boasted  that  if  he  had  been  present  he 
would  not  have  neglected  to  grasp  the  proffered  hand. 

That  evening  when  they  laid  themselves  down  in 
the  same  room,  the  late  arrival  with  them,  the  door 
opened  again,  and  a  plump,  white  woman's  arm,  with 
a  most  beautiful  hand,  reached  in  over  the  sleepers. 

The  young  man  arose  from  his  bed,  approached  the 
door  and  seized  the  outstretched  hand,  impelled,  per- 
haps, more  by  the  fear  of  his  comrades  scoffing  at  his 
boasted  bravery,  than  by  any  desire  for  a  closer  ac- 
quaintance with  the  strange  visitor.  Immediately  his 
comrades  witnessed  him  drawn  noiselessly  out  through 
thedoor,  which  closed  softly  after  him.  They  thought  he 

75 


76  GOTLAND. 

would  return  soon,  bui  when  morning  approached  and 
he  did  not  appear,  they  set  out  in  search  of  him.  Far 
and  near  the  search  was  pursued,  but  without  success. 
His  disappearance  was  complete. 

Three  years  passed  and  nothing  had  been  heard  of 
the  missing  man.  His  young  wife,  who  had  mourned 
him  all  this  time  as  dead,  was  finally  persuaded  to 
marry  another.  On  the  evening  of  the  wedding  day, 
while  the  mirth  was  at  its  highest,  a  stranger  entered 
the  cottage.  U pon  closer  observ ation  some  of  the  guests 
thought  they  recognized  the  bride's  former  husband. 

The  utmost  surprise  and  commotion  followed. 

In  answer  to  the  inquiries  of  those  present  as  to  where 
he  came  from  and  where  he  had  been,  he  related  that  it 
was  a  sea  nymph  whose  hand  he  had  taken  that  night 
when  he  left  the  fisherman's  hut ;  and  that  he  was 
dragged  by  her  down  into  the  sea.  In  her  pearly  halls 
he  forgot  his  wife,  parents,  and  all  that  was  loved  by 
him  until  the  morning  of  that  day,  when  the  sea  nymph 
exclaimed  :  "  There  will  be  a  dusting  out  in  Kinnar  this 
evening."  Then  his  senses  immediately  returned,  and, 
with  anxiety,  he  asked ;  "  Then  it  is  my  wife  who  is 
to  be  the  bride  ? "  The  sea  nymph  replied  in  the  affirm- 
ative. At  his  urgent  request,. she  allowed  him  to  come 
up  to  see-  his  wife  as  a  bride,  stipulating  that  when 
he  arrived  at  the  house  he  should  not  enter.  When 
he  came  and  saw  her  adorned  with  garland  and  crown 
he  could,  nevertheless,  not  resist  the  desire  to  enter. 
Then  came  a  tempest  and  took  away  half  the  roof 
of  the  house,  whereupon  the  man  fell  sick  and  three 
days  later  died. 


A  peasant  of  Svalings,  in  the  parish  of  Gothem,  by 
the  name  of  Hans,  was,  one  spring  day,  employed  in 
mending  a  fence  which  divided  two  meadows.  It 
chanced  he  required  a  few  more  willow  twigs  for  bands, 
whereupon  he  sprang  over  the  fence  to  cut  them  in  a 
neighbor's  grove.  Entering  the  thicket,  what  was  his 
surprise  at  seeing  an  old  man  sitting  upon  a  stump, 
bowed  forward,  his  face  buried  in  his  hands.  His 
astonishment  uncontrollable,  Hans  broke  out : 

"  Who  are  you?" 

"  A  wanderer,"  replied  the  old  man  without  lifting 
his  head. 

"  How  long  have  you  been  a  wanderer  ? "  inquired 
the  peasant. 

u  Three  hundred  years  !  "  answered  the  old  man. 

Still  more  astonished,  the  peasant  again  asked  : 

"  Is  it  not  hard  to  travel  thus  ? " 

"  It  has  never  been  so  hard  to  me,"  replied  the  old 
man,  "for  I  love  the  woods." 

"  Very  well,  go  on  then,"  said  Hans. 

Hardly  were  the  words  uttered  than  the  peasant 
heard  a  sound  like  that  from  a  wild  bird  startled  to 
wing,  and  the  old  man  had  vanished  so  suddenly  that 
Hans  could  not  say  whether  he  had  sunk  into  the  earth 
or  gone  into  the  air. 

*  In  Gotland  a  Bysa  is  the  spirit  of  one  who  in  life  was  continually 
on  the  move  around  his  possessions,  or  was  so  covetous  of  worldly  goods 
that  even  perjury  did  not  deter  him  from  acquiring  property  unjustly,, 

77 


North  of  the  village  of  Wi,  in  the 
parish  of  Kalla,  lies  a  large  stone  called 
Sekiel's  Stone,  after  a  giantess,  Sekiel, 
who  is  said  to  have  lived  in  Borgehaga,  in  the  parish 
of  Hogo. 

The  same  giantess  had  a  sister,  who  was  married 
to  a  giant  named  Beard,  and  lived  in  the  parish  of 
Ryssby  on  the  Smaland  side  of  the  sound. 


78 


OLAND.  79 

That  they  might  visit  each  other  oftener  it  was 
agreed  between  the  sisters  that  they  should  build  a 
stone  bridge  over  Kalmarsound,  the  one  to  build  from 
Ryssby  shore,  the  other  from  Gland. 

The  giantess  of  Smaland  began  first  upon  her 
work.  Every  day  she  came  with  a  great  load  of 
stones  which  she  cast  into  the  sea,  until,  finally,  she 
had  completed  that  point  of  land  now  called  Skag- 
ganas,  reaching  a  quarter  of  a  mile  out  into  the  sea. 
The  giantess  on  the  Oland  side  also  began  to  build,  but 
when  she  came  with  her  first  load  of  stones  in  her 
apron  she  was  shot  through  the  body  with  an  arrow 
from  a  peasant's  bow.  Overcome  by  the  pain,  she  sat 
herself  to  rest  upon  the  before  mentioned  Sekiel  Stone, 
which  has  a  shallow  depression  in  the  top,  marking  the 
resting  spot  of  the  giantess. 

When  she  had  recovered  she  again  took  up  her 
journey,  but  had  proceeded  no  further  than  to  Pers- 
nas  when  it  began  to  storm,  and  she  was  struck  dead 
by  a  bolt  of  lightning.  With  her  fall  the  stones  slipped 
from  her  apron,  and  there  they  lie  to-day,  forming  the 
large  grave-mound  on  Persnas  hills. 


ft 


Boxing 


of 


Upon  the  estate  of  Hellerup,  in  the  parish  of  Ljungby. 
there  lived,  many  years  ago,  a  gentleman  of  rank,  who 
had  a  daughter  renowned  for  her  gentleness  as  well 
as  for  her  beauty  and  intelligence. 

One  night,  while  lying  awake  in  her  bed,  watching 
the  moonbeams  dancing  upon  her  chamber  floor,  her 
door  was  opened  and  a  little  fairy,  clad  in  a  gray 
jacket  and  red  cap,  tripped  lightly  in  and  toward 
her  bed. 

<•  Do  not  be  afraid,  gracious  lady ! "  said  he,  and 

80 


HAL  LAND.  81 

looked  her  in  the  eye  in  a  friendly  manner.     "  I  have 
come  to  ask  a  favor  from  you." 

"  Willingly,  if  lean,"  answered  the  young  lady,  who 
began  to  recover  from  her  fear. 

"  Oh !  it  will  not  be  difficult,"  said  the  fairy.  "  I  and 
mine  have,  for  many  years,  lived  under  the  floor  in  the 
kitchen,  just  where  the  water  tank  stands,  which  has 
become  old  and  leaky,  so  that  we  are  continually  an- 
noyed by  the  dripping  of  water,  and  the  maids  spill 
water  upon  the  floor,  which  drips  through,  so  that  it  is 
never  dry  in  our  home." 

"  That  shall  be  seen  to  in  the  morning,"  promised 
the  lady,  and  the  fairy,  making  an  elegant  bow,  disap- 
peared as  noiselessly  as  he  came, 

The  next  day,  at  the  girl's  request,  the  cask  was 
moved,  and  the  gratitude  of  the  fairies  was  soon  mani- 
fested. Never  thereafter  was  a  glass  or  plate  broken, 
and  if  the  servants  had  work  to  do  that  required  early 
rising,  they  were  always  awake  at  the  appointed  hour. 

Some  time  later  the  fairy  again  stood  at  the  young 
lady's  bedside. 

"  Now  I  have  another  request  which,  in  your  gener- 
osity, you  will  certainly  not  refuse  to  grant." 

"  What  is  it,  then  ? "  asked  the  young  lady. 

"  That  you  will  honor  me  and  my  house,  and  to- 
night stand  at  the  christening  of  my  newly-born 
daughter." 

The  young  lady  arose  and  clad  herself,  and  followed 
her  unknown  conductor  through  many  passages  and 
rooms  which  she  had  never  before  been  aware  existed, 
until  she  finally  came  to  the  kitchen.  Here  she  found 


82  HALLAND. 

a  host  of  small  folk  and  priest  and  father,  whereupon 
the  little  child  was  baptized  in  the  usual  Christian 
manner. 

"When  the  young  lady  was  about  to  go  the  fairy 
begged  permission  to  put  a  memento  in  her  apron. 

Though  what  she  received  looked  like  a  stick  and 
some  shavings,  she  appeared  very  thankful,  and  was 
conducted  again  through  the  winding  passages  back  to 
her  room. 

Just  as  the  fairy  stood  ready  to  leave  her,  he  said  : 
"  If  we  should  meet  again,  and  that  is  probable,  bear 
well  in  mind  not  to  laugh  at  rne  or  any  of  mine.  We 
esteem  you  for  your  modesty  and  goodness,  but  if  you 
laugh  at  us,  we  shall  never  see  each  other  again." 
"With  these  words  he  left  the  room. 

"When  he  had  gone  the  young  woman  threw  her 
present  into  the  stove  and  laid  herself  down  to  sleep, 
and  the  following  morning,  when  the  maid  went  to 
build  the  fire,  she  found  in  the  ashes  jewelry  of  the 
purest  gold  and  finest  workmanship,  such  as  had  never 
before  been  seen. 

Some  years  later  the  young  woman  was  about  to 
marry,  and  preparations  were  made  for  a  day  of  pomp 
and  splendor. 

For  many  weeks  there  was  great  bustle  in  the 
kitchen  and  bridal  chamber.  During  the  day  all  was 
quiet  under  the  floor  in  the  kitchen,  but  through  the 
night  one  who  slept  lightly  could  hear  the  sounds  of 
work  as  through  the  day. 

At  length  the  wedding  hour  arrived. 

Decked  with   laurels   and  crown,  the   bride   was 


HALLAND.  83 

conducted  to  the  hall  Avhere  the  guests  were  gathered. 
During  the  ceremonies  she  chanced  to  cast  a  glance 
toward  the  fireplace  in  the  corner  of  the  hall,  where 
she  saw  the  faries  gathered  for  a  like  feast.  The  bride- 
groom was  a  little  fairy  and  the  bride  her  goddaughter, 
and  everything  was  conducted  in  the  same  manner  as 
in  the  hall. 

None  of  the  guests  saw  what  was  going  on  in  their 
vicinity,  but  it  was  observed  that  the  bride  could  not 
take  her  eyes  from  the  fireplace.  Later  in  the  even- 
ing, when  she  again  saw  the  strange  bridal  feast,  she 
saw  one  of  the  fairies  who  Avas  acting  as  waiter  stum- 
ble and  fall  over  a  twig.  Unmindful  of  the  caution 
she  had  received,  she  burst  out  into  a  hearty  laugh. 
Instantly  the  scene  vanished,  and  from  that  time  no 
fairies  have  been  seen  at  Hellerup. 


During  the  war  between  Queen  Margarita  and 
Albrecht  of  Mecklenburg  the  two  armies  had  an  en- 
counter in  Southern  Halland.  The  Queen's  people  had 
encamped  upon  the  plains  of  Tjarby,  a  half  mile  north 
of  Laholm,  while  the  Prince's  adherents  were  camped 
in  the  vicinity  of  Weinge  Church. 

One  morning  the  Queen  went,  as  was  her  custom 
to  morning  prayers  in  Tjarb^y  Church,  but  took  the 
precaution  to  set  a  guard  upon  the  so-called  Queen's 
Mountain  to  warn  her  of  danger. 

While  she  was  buried  in  her  devotions  there  came  a 
message,  informing  her  that  a  few  unattended  knights 
had  been  seen  in  the  vicinity. 

"There  is  yet  no  danger,"  said  the  courageous 
Queen,  and  continued  her  prayers  at  the  altar. 

In  a  short  time  another  message  was  brought,  in- 
forming her  that  as  many  as  a  hundred  knights  had 
made  their  appearance,  but  the  Queen  commanded  her 
people  to  keep  still,  that  yet  there  was  no  occasion  for 
alarm.  Finally  a  message  came  that  all  Elstorps 
Woods  seemed  to  be  alive  and  moving  against  Tjarby. 

"  Now,  my  children,  for  a  hard  battle,  but  God  will 
give  us  the  victory,"  said  the  Queen,  and  springing 
upon  her  horse,  she  marched  at  the  head  of  her  war- 
riors against  the  enemy. 

The  enemy  had,  as  is  related  in  the  story  of  Mac- 
beth, made  use  of  stratagem,  for  each  man  carried 

M 


HALLAND.  85 

before  him  a  green  bush,  thinking  to  come  upon  the 
queen's  attendants  by  surprise.  But  the  queen  out- 
witted him  and  gained  a  brilliant  victory. 

In  gratitude  to  God,  she  rebuilt  the  old  church  of 
Tjarby,  and  since  that  day  no  birches  higher  than  a 
man's  head  have  grown  in  Elstorps  Woods. 


of  ^olftarefl's  OEift 

It   is    probable    that  there    are  few   places    more 
gloomy  and  uninviting  than  certain  parts  of  the  parish 


&ALLAN1X  $7 

of  Sibbarp,  in  the  Province  of  Halland.  Dark  heaths 
cover  a  good  portion  of  the  parish,  and  from  their  dull 
brown  surface  rises,  here  and  there,  a  lonely,  cheerless 
mountain.  One  of  these  is  Folkared's  Cliff,  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  parish,  noted  of  old  as  the  abid- 
ing-place of  little  Trolls  and  Pigmies. 

One  chilly  autumn  day  a  peasant,  going  from  Ho- 
gared,  in  Ljungby,  to  Folkared,  in  Sibbarp,  in  order  to 
shorten  his  journey  took  a  short  cut  by  way  of  the 
cliff,  upon  reaching  which  he  perceived  a  Pigmy  about 
the  size  of  a  child  seven  or  eight  years  old,  sitting  upon 
a  stone  crying. 

"Where  is  your  home?"  asked  the  peasant,  moved 
by  the  seeming  distress  of  the  little  fellow. 

"  Here,"  sobbed  the  Pigmy,  pointing  to  the 
mountain. 

"  How  long  have  you  lived  "here  ? "  questioned  the 
peasant  in  surprise. 

"  Six  hundred  years." 

"  Six  hundred  years !  You  lie,  you  rascal,  and  you 
deserve  to  be  whipped  for  it." 

"  Oh  !  do  not  strike  me,"  pleaded  the  Pigmy,  continu- 
ing to  cry.  "  I  have  had  enough  of  blows  already 
to-day." 

"  Who  have  you  received  them  from  ? "  asked  the 
peasant. 

"  From  my  father." 

"  What  capers  did  you  cut  up  that  you  were  thus 
punished  ? " 

"  Oh,  I  was  set  to  watch  my  old  grandfather  and 


88  HALLAND. 

when  I  chanced  to  turn  my  back  he  fell  and  hurt 
himself  upon  the  floor." 

The  peasant  then  understood  what  character  of 
person  he  had  met.  and  grasping  his  dirk  he  prepared 
to  defend  himself.  But  instantly  he  heard  an  awful 
crash  in  the  mountain,  and  the  pigmy  had  vanished. 


During  the  bloody  war  under  Charles  XII.  with 
Denmark,  a  number  of  freebooters  had  gone  from 
Skane  into  Halland,  and  marked  their  way,  as  usual, 
with  plundering  and  murder.  A  number,  after  the 
parsonage  and  other  houses  in  Hishult  had  been  ran- 
sacked, went  back  to  Skane  ;  the  rest  continued  their 
course  to  the  north. 

At  Boghult,  in  the  parish  of  Tonnersjo,  a  number 
of  peasants  had  gathered  to  oppose  them.  They  pos- 
sessed, for  the  most  part,  no  other  weapons  than  axes, 
scythes  and  sticks  ;  only  two,  brothers  from  Boghult, 
were  better  armed.  Each  of  these  had  his  gun,  which, 
as  residents  in  the  woods  and  hunters,  they  knew  well 
how  to  handle.  In  stationing  the  forces,  the  two 
brothers  were  placed  far  out  on  the  road,  in  the  direc- 
tion from  which  the  freebooters  were  expected  to  make 
their  appearance,  while  the  others  remained  in  a  body 
some  distance  in  their  rear. 

After  many  hours'  waiting  a  ragged,  sorry-looking 
horseman,  mounted  on  a  rough-coated  and  saddleless 
horse,  came  into  view.  From  his  rear  came  the  sounds 
of  laughter  and  merry-making  of  the  approaching 
horde. 


*  When  ths  robber's  grave  was  opened,  in  the  year  1870,  human  bones 
were  found  in  it,  strengthening  the  supposition  that  the  legend  is  founded 
on  facts. 


90  HALLAND. 

"  Look  sharp  !  here  they  come ! "  said  one  of  the 
brothers. 

"  See  !  They  have  stolen  father's  horse  ! "  said  the 
other,  as  he  brought  his  gun  to  his  eye. 

"  Hold  on ! "  whispered  the  first,  "  My  gun  is  surer 
than  yours.  Let  me  take  care  of  the  thief."  These 
words  were  followed  by  a  loud  report,  and  the  horse- 
man tumbled  from  his  seat. 

Alarmed  at  the  result,  the  two  brothers  retreated 
hastily  to  their  support  in  the  rear,  and  nothing  further 
was  heard  of  the  enemy.  The  following  day  some  of 
the  bravest  of  the  peasants  set  out  to  reconnoiter,  but 
the  freebooters  had  disappeared.  They  came,  however, 
upon  a  heap  of  stones  which  the  marauders  had  thrown 
up  to  mark  the  grave  of  their  companion. 

This  pile  of  stones  was  ever  after  called  the  free- 
booter's grave. 


diaut  jpcatden  in 


In  the  mountain  of  Boraserod,  which 
is  located  in  the  parish  of  Svarteborg, 
there  lived,  in  ancient  days,  a  giant.  As 
with  all  the  giant  people,  he  has  disap- 
peared since  the  coming  in  of  Christianity.  Some  say 
that  he  died,  but  others  believe  that  he  moved  to  Dovre, 
in  Norway,  where  giants  betook  themselves  when  dis- 
turbed by  the  church  bells. 

91 


92  BOHUSLAN. 

However,  there  is  even  to-day  a  hollow  in  the 
mountain  which  is  called  "  the  giant's  door,"  and  with- 
in the  mountain,  it  is  believed  there  are  vaults  filled 
with  the  giant's  gold.  No  one  has,  however,  dared 
venture  to  search  for  this  treasure,  and  luckily,  for 
with  property  of  giants,  blessings  do  not  go. 

This  giant  had  a  daughter,  so  beautiful  that  he  who 
once  saw  her  could  never  drive  thoughts  of  her  from 
his  mind.  Among  the  few  whose  fortune  it  was  to  see 
her  was  a  young  peasant  from  the  estate  of  Rom, 
adjacent  to  the  mountain.  When  he  was  one  day  out 
searching  for  the  horses,  which  had  gone  astray,  he 
suddenly  came  upon  the  wonderfully  beautiful  maiden, 
sitting  upon  the  side  of  the  mountain,  in  the  sunshine, 
playing  on  her  harp. 

The  peasant  at  once  understanding  who  it  was,  not 
of  the  kind  to  be  easily  frightened,  knowing  that  her 
father  had  an  abundance  of  riches,  and  thinking  it  was 
no  worse  for  him  than  for  many  others  to  marry  into 
the  giant  family,  approached  her,  under  cover  of  the 
shrubbery,  until  he  was  quite  near,  when  he  threw  his 
knife  between  her  and  the  mountain,  and  as  "  stee] 
charms  a  Troll,"  or  others  of  the  supernatural  family, 
she  was  obliged,  whether  or  not  she  would,  to  follow 
him  to  his  home. 

In  the  evening,  when  the  giant  missed  his  daughter, 
he  started  out  in  search  of  her,  and  in  his  search  came 
to  Rom. 

Through  the  walls  he  heard  the  snores  of  two  persons, 
and,  when  he  had  lifted  the  roof  off  the  cottage,  he  saw 
his  daughter  sleeping  in  the  arms  of  the  young  swain. 


BOHUSLAN.  93 

"  Are  you  there,  you  whelp  ! "  he  hissed.  "  Has  it 
come  to  this  ? "  added  he.  "  So  be  it,  then ;  but  I  de- 
mand that  the  wedding  shall  take  place  before  the  next 
new  moon.  If  you  can  then  give  me  as  much  food  and 
drink  as  I  want  all  your  offspring  shall  be  made  rich 
and  powerful,  otherwise  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with 
you." 

Preparations  were  hastily  made  by  the  young  man's 
parents  for  the  wedding,  and  neighbors  and  relations 
came  from  far  and  near,  laden  with  provisions.  A 
great  number  likely  to  be  present,  it  was  determined 
to  have  the  ceremony  performed  in  the  Church  of  Tosse ; 
but  the  day  before  the  wedding  there  came  such  a  great 
freshet  that  it  seemed  impossible  for  the  bridal  carriage 
to  cross  the  swollen  creek  between  Duigle  and  Barby. 
The  giant  was  equal  to  the  emergency,  and,  with  his 
wife,  went  to  Ilolmasar,  in  Berffendalen,  and  fetched 
a  large  slab  of  stone  and  four  boulders  to  the  creek. 
The  giant  carried  the  slab  under  his  arm,  and  his  wife 
the  boulders  in  her  mitten.  And  thus  they  built  the 
stone  bridge  which  to  this  day  spans  the  creek. 

When  the  bridal  pair  came  from  the  church  to  the 
banquet  hall,  the  giant  appeared  and  seated  himself  at 
the  table  with  the  rest  of  the  guests. 

Although  the  bridal  couple  did  all  possible  to  find 
him  enough  to  eat,  the  giant  declared  when  he  left  the 
table  that  he  was  only  half  satisfied,  and  therefore  only 
half  of  the  family  should  become  great  people.  Wish- 
ing to  give  the  bride  a  becoming  bridal  present,  he  cast 
a  sack  of  gold  and  silver  upon  the  floor,  which  the 
couple  was  to  have  if  the  son-in  law  could  carry  it  up 


94  BOHUSLAN. 

to  the  loft.  Stealthily,  the  bride  gave  her  husband  a 
drink  which  made  him  so  strong  that  he  threw  the  sack 
upon  his  back,  and,  to  the  surprise  of  all,  carried  it  out 
of  the  room.  Thus  the  newly  wedded  pair  became  pos- 
sessors of  an  abundant  treasure  with  which  to  begin 
life. 

For  some  time  the  young  couple  lived  in  plenty  and 
happiness,  but  soon  the  husband  began  to  be  irritable 
and  abusive.  It  came,  finally,  to  such  a  pass  that  the 
husband  took  a  whip  to  his  wife.  She  continued,  never- 
theless, to  be  mild  and  patient  as  before;  but  one 
day  he  was  about  to  start  on  a  long  journey.  When 
the  horse  was  hitched  to  the  wagon  he  observed  that 
the  shoe  was  gone  from  one  of  the  hind  feet.  It  would 
not  do  to  venture  on  such  a  journey  without  first  re- 
placing the  shoe.  Here,  however,  was  a  difficulty.  He 
had  one  shoe  only,  and  that  was  too  large ;  whereupon 
he  began  again  to  scold  and  swear. 

The  wife  said  nothing,  but  quietly  taking  the  shoe 
between  "her  hands,  squeezed  it  together  as  if  it  were 
lead,  reducing  it  to  the  required  size.  Her  husband 
looked  upon  her  in  astonishment  and  alarm.  Finally 
he  addressed  her : 

"  Why  have  you,  who  are  so  strong,  submitted  to 
abuse  from  me  ? " 

"  Because  the  wife  should  be  submissive  to  her  hus- 
band," said  the  giantess,  mildly  and  pleasantly. 

From  that  hour  the  man  was  the  most  patient  and 
indulgent  in  the  region,  and  never  again  was  heard  a 
cross  word  from  his  mouth. 


GHostel's 


South  of  Thorsby  Church,  among  the  mountains,  lies 
a  shattered  rock  called  Gloshed's  Altar,  concerning 
which  there  is  an  old  tradition  still  living  upon  the  lips 
of  the  people,  as  follows  : 

A  long  time  ago  a  man  from  the  parish  of  Safve 
went  upon  a  Hollandish  ship,  on  a  whaling  cruise. 
After  the  vessel  had  been  tossed  about  the  sea  for  some 
time,  land  was  one  day  sighted,  and  upon  the  land  was 
seen  a  fire  which  continued  to  burn  many  days. 

It  was  determined  that  some  of  the  ship's  crew 
should  go  ashore,  in  the  hope  that  shelter  might  be 
found,  and  among  those  who  went  ashore  was  our  hero. 
When  the  strand  was  reached  they  found  there  an  old 
man  sitting  by  a  fire  of  logs,  endeavoring  to  warm 
himself. 

u  Where  did  you  come  from  ?"  asked  the  old  man. 

"  From  Holland  !"  answered  the  sailors. 

"  But  where  were  you  born  ?"  to  our  hero. 

"  In  Hisingen,  in  the  parish  of  Safve,"  he  answered. 

"  Are  you  acquainted  in  Thorsby  ?" 

"Yes,  indeed!" 

"  Do  you  know  where  Ulfve  Mountain  lies?" 

"  I  have  often  passed  it,  as  the  road  from  Goteborg 

*In  BohuslSnd  and  in  Dalland  the  belief  is  quite  general  that  the  giants, 
leaving  those  regions,  settled  upon  Dovre  in  Norway,  or  upon  some  un- 
inhabited island  in  the  North  Sea,  and  that  travelers  are  eagerly 
about  their  former  home. 

95 


96  BOHUSLAN. 

to  Marstrand  over  Hisingen  and  through  Thorsby  goes 
past  there." 

"  Do  the  large  stones  and  hills  remain  undis- 
turbed?" asked  the  old  man. 

"  Yes,  except  one  stone,  which,  if  I  remember  cor- 
rectly, is  toppling  over/'  said  the  Hisinger. 

"That  is  too  bad  !  But  do  you  know  where  Glos- 
hed's Altar  is,  and  does  it  remain  sound  ? " 

"Upon  that  point,"  said  the  sailor,  "I  have  no 
knowledge/' 

Finally  the  old  man  continued  :  "  If  you  will  say  to 
those  who  now  live  in  Thorsby  and  Torrebracka  that 
they  shall  not  destroy  the  stones  and  elevations  at  the 
foot  of  Ulfve  Mount,  and,  above  all,  to  take  care  of 
Gloshed's  Altar,  you  shall  have  fair  winds  for  the  rest 
of  your  voyage." 

The  Hisinger  promised  to  deliver  the  message  when 
he  arrived  home,  whereupon  he  asked  the  old  man  his 
name,  and  hoiv  he,  living  so  far  from  Thorsby,  was  so 
well  acquainted  with  matters  there. 

u  I'll  tell  you,"  said  he,  "  my  name  is  Thore  Brock, 
and  I  at  one  time  lived  there,  but  was  banished.  All 
my  relations  are  buried  at  Ulfve  Mountain,  and  at 
Gloshed's  Altar  we  were  wont  to  do  homage  to  our 
gods  and  to  make  our  offerings/' 

Hereupon  they  separated. 

"When  the  man  from  Hisinger  returned  home  he 
went  about  the  fulfillment  of  his  promise,  and,  without 
knowing  how,  he  soon  became  one  of  the  principal 
farmers  in  the  parish. 


ritlat 


In  the  parish  of  Nasinge,  two  poor  sisters  once 
found  service  with  a  rich  farmer.  All  through  the 
summer  they  herded  their  master's  flocks  on  the  mount- 
ain sides,  whiling  away  their  time  in  relating  legends 
of  kings  and  abducted  princesses. 

"  If  only  some  prince  would  carry  me  away  to  his 
gilded  palace,"  said  the  younger,  one  day. 

"Hush!  Do  not  talk  so  wickedly,"  remonstrated 
the  elder.  "  The  Trolls  might  hear  you,  when  it  would 
go  hard  with  you." 

"  Oh !  there  is  not  much  danger  of  that,"  replied 
the  first  speaker,  and  continued  her  story. 

Some  days  later  the  younger  sister  disappeared. 
No  one  knew  where  she  had  gone,  and  careful  search 
did  not  reveal.  Time  Avent  on  without  the  least  trace 
of  her  whereabouts  being  discovered.  Finally  the 
remaining  sister  found  a  sweetheart,  but  equally  poor 
with  herself,  wherefore  they  could  not  think  of  marry- 
ing yet  for  many  years. 

One  night  in  her  sleep  she  dreamed  that  her  absent 
sister  stood  at  her  bedside,  and  said : 

"  Make  your  bed  to-morrow  night  in  the  barn,  past 
which  the  Trolls  and  I  shall  pass,  and  I  will  give  you  a 
handsome  dower." 

The  next  night  when  the  girl  drove  her  flocks  home 
she  made  her  bed,  as  her  sister  had  directed,  in  her 
master's  barn.  The  barn  door  she  left  open,  and,  laying 

97 


BOHUSLAN. 


herself  down,  she  looked  out  into  the  night,  endeavoring 
to  keep  awake  until  her  sister  should  come.  Soon  after 
midnight  she  heard  the  sound  of  hoofs,  and  saw  her 
sister,  accompanied  by  a  Troll,  ride  up  the  road  at 
such  a  speed  that  the  sparks  glistened  around  the 
horses'  feet.  When  they  reached  the  front  of  the  barn 
the  lost  girl  threw  a  purse  in  at  the  door,  which  fell 
with  a  ring  into  the  watcher's  lap.  Hastily  the  treas- 
ure was  deposited  under  her  head,  and  she  was  soon 
asleep,  wearied  with  her  day's  work  and  night  of 
watching. 

The  next  day,  upon  examining  her  strangely  ac- 
quired gift,  what  was  her  astonishment  to  find  it  filled 
with  pure  gold  coins.  Before  the  sun  had  set  she  had 
purchased  a  splendid  farm,  and,  as  may  be  presumed, 
the  bans  were  published  and  a  wedding  immediately 
celebrated. 


flattie  Hat.' 


At  the  extremity  of  the  beau- 
tiful valley  of  Espelund,  in  the 
parish  of  Mo,  there  rises  a  wood- 


*The  belief  that  giants  have  two  hats,  one  of  which  renders  the  wearer 
invisible,  and  another  that  reveals  things  otherwise  invisible,  is  widespread 
in  Northern  Scandinavia.  99 


100  BOHUSLAN. 

covered  mountain  known  as  Bergasa  Mountain,  from 
the  distance  looking  like  a  giant  cone  ;  three  sides  pre- 
senting frowning  precipices,  the  fourth  (and  southern) 
fortified  by  a  large  wall  of  boulders,  which  is  said 
to  have  surrounded,  in  former  times,  a  king's  castle, 
called  Grimslott. 

Here,  in  times  gone  by,  lived  a  mountain  king 
named  Grim.  He  was,  like  the  rest  of  his  kind,  ugly 
and  crafty,  and  robbed  mankind  of  whatever  fell  in 
his  way. 

For  this  purpose  he  had  two  hats,  one  of  which  was 
called  the  Dulde  hat,  and  was  so  endowed  that  when  the 
king  put  it  on  his  head  both  he  and  his  companions 
became  invisible ;  and  the  other  was  called  the  Halde 
hat,  Avhich  possessed  a  power  making  all  things  plainly 
visible  to  the  wearer  that  were  before  invisible. 

It  happened,  during  these  days,  that  a  farmer  of 
Grimland,  preparing  a  wedding  for  his  daughter,  in- 
vited guests  from  near  and  far  to  the  festivities.  Pre- 
tending, however,  not  to  know  the  mountain  king,  he 
did  not  invite  him.  The  latter  apparently  took  no  of- 
fense at  this,  but,  on  the  wedding  day,  putting  his  Dulde 
hat  upon  his  head,  set  out  to  the  wedding  feast,  fol- 
lowed by  all  his  people,  except  the  queen,  who  was  left 
at  home  to  watch  the  castle. 

When  the  wedding  guests  sat  themselves  at  table 
everything  that  was  brought  in  vanished,  both  food 
and  drink,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  all,  as  they 
could  not  understand  where  it  disappeared;  but  a 
young  peasant  suspected  the  Trolls  were  at  the  bottom 
of  it,  and,  springing  upon  a  horse,  rode  straightway  to 


BOHUSLAW.  131 

Borgasa  Mountain.  On  the  steps  stood  the  mountain 
queen,  so  beautiful  and  fine,  who  inquired  of  the 
rider  how  things  were  going  at  the  wedding  feast  in 
Grimland. 

"  The  food  is  salt  and  the  oil  is  sour,"  answered  he. 
"  That  stingy  farmer  has  hidden  the  wine  and  meat 
in  the  cellar  where  no  one  can  find  it.  Now,  your  hus- 
band sends  greeting,  and  requests  that  you  give  me  the 
Halde  hat,  that  he  may  be  able  to  find  its  hiding- 
place." 

Without  mistrust  the  queen  gave  him  the  enchant- 
ed hat,  whereupon  the  young  peasant  hastened  back  to 
the  festivities.  Entering  the  hall,  he  donned  the  hat 
and  sa\v  at  once  the  mountain  king  and  his  followers 
sitting  among  the  guests,  seizing  upon  everything  as 
fast  as  brought  in.  The  peasant  drew  his  sword,  and 
commanded  the  others  to  do  likewise. 

"  Stab  as  I  stab  and  cut  as  I  cut,"  cried  he,  and  be- 
gan to  slash  around  the  table.  The  other  guests  fol- 
lowed his  example  and  slew  the  mountain  king  and  all 
his  followers.  From  that  time,  so  says  the  story,  the 
castle  upon  Borgasa  Mountain  has  been  untenanted. 


One  stormy  autumn  night,  a  few  years  after  the 
death  of  Charles  XII.,  a  ship  containing  a  valuable 
cargo  was  wrecked  on  the  island  of  Tjorn,  one  of 
the  group  of  islands  on  the  coast  of  Bohuslan.  Among 
other  things  of  value  in  the  ship's  cargo  were  many 
articles  of  costly  jewelry,  belonging  to  King  Frederick 
L,  which  were  being  brought  to  him  from  Hes- 
sia.  The  most  costly,  however,  was  a  jewel  inclosed 
in  a  cradle  made  of  pure  gold  and  richly  embellished 
with  pearls  and  precious  stones,  sent  by  a  German 
princess  to  the  king's  spouse. 

The  islanders,  as  was  not  unusual  in  those  days, 
murdered  the  ship's  crew,  and,  after  it  had  been  plun- 
dered of  its  cargo,  scuttled  and  sunk  her,  so  that  she 
was  safely  out  of  sight. 

Among  the  priests  upon  the  island  was  one  named 
Michael  Koch,  pastor  in  Klofvedal.  He  had  a  hint  of 
the  great  crime  that  had  been  committed,  but,  fearing 
the  half -barbarous  inhabitants,  did  not  dare  betray  the 
secret. 

Some  time  after  the  ship  had  disappeared  a  fisher- 
man came  onejiay  to  the  parsonage  and  presented 
to  the  priest  a  walking  stick  of  great  beauty  of  work- 
manship and  value,  which  was  a  part  of  the  cargo 
of  the  plundered  vessel.  Koch  accepted  the  gift,  and 
whether  he  did  not  know  or  did  not  care  where  it 

102 


BOHUSLAN.  103 

came  from,  took  it  with  him,  often  displaying  it  upon 
the  streets.  When,  two  years  later,  he  went  to  Stock- 
holm, as  representative  to  the  Diet,  King  Frederick 
one  day  accidentally  saw  and  recognized  it  as  his  prop- 
erty. The  priest,  however,  asserted  that  it  was  his, 
and  rightfully  acquired.  But  the  king  could  not  be 
deceived,  and  opening  a  heretofore  concealed  hollow 
in  the  cane,  took  therefrom  a  roll  of  gold  coins.  This 
action  attracted  attention  and  aroused  suspicion  anew 
that  the  ship  had  been  plundered.  It  was  not  thought 
that  Koch  had  a  hand  in  it,  but,  on  the  assumption 
that  he  knew  something  about  it  which  he  ought  to 
have  revealed,  and  that  he  was  trying  to  conceal  the 
deed,  he  was  escorted  from  Stockholm. 

Meantime  further  discoveries  were  made,  until  they 
led  to  finding  that  the  gold  cradle  was  in  possession  of 
a  peasant  in  Stordal.  At  the  king's  command,  soldiers 
were  at  once  dispatched  to  Tjorn  to  arrest  the  criminals 
and,  possibty,  find  the  jewel.  But  the  command  was 
not  kept  so  secret  that  the  peasant  did  not  get  an  inti- 
mation of  what  was  coming,  whereupon  he  hastened  to 
bury  the  cradle  in  Stordal  Heath.  Under  guidance  of 
a  police  officer  the  search  was  prosecuted  in  all  direc- 
tions, but  when  the  soldiers  could  not  discover  the  ob- 
ject of  their  search,  they  left  the  island  and  the  offend- 
ers escaped. 

Some  years  later  the  possessor  of  the  cradle  became 
sick.  When  he  found  that  his  case  was  serious  he  sent 
for  the  priest,  and  confided  to  him  the  whereabouts  of 
his  booty,  and  requested  that  as  soon  as  he  was  dead 
the  priest  should  dig  the  cradle  up  and  restore  it  to  the 


104  BOHUSLAN. 

king.  Hardly  had  the  priest  taken  his  departure  when 
the  sick  man  regretted  his  simplicity.  Gathering  his 
little  remaining  strength,  he  rose  from  his  bed,  and,  with 
unsteady  steps,  crept  out  into  the  field  and  concealed 
his  buried  treasure  in  another  place.  As  soon  as  the  man 
was  dead,  the  priest  set  out  about  fulfilling  his  commis- 
sion. His  digging  was  in  vain,  the  hidden  treasure  was 
not  to  be  found.  In  his  dying  hour  the  peasant  had, 
apparently,  endeavored  to  reveal  the  new  hiding  place, 
but  his  strength  was  so  near  exhausted  that  his  utter- 
ances could  not  be  understood. 

To  this  day  many  of  the  dwellers  on  the  island  are 
fully  persuaded  that  Queen  Elenor's  golden  cradle  may 
be  found  somewhere  in  the  Stordal  cow  pastures,  and 
many  have  wasted  much  time  and  labor  in  the  hope  of 
bringing  it  to  light. 


Many  years  ago  there  died,  on  the  estate  of  Sunds- 
hult,  in  the  parish  of  Naf  verstad,  a  child  of  illegitimate 
birth,  which,  because  of  this,  was  not  christened  and 
could  not  be  accorded  Christian  burial,  or  a  place 
in  heaven,  and  whose  spirit,  therefore,  was  left  to 
wander  the  earth,  disturbing  the  rest  and  making 
night  uncomfortable  for  the  people  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. 

One  time,  just  before  Christmas,  the  parish  shoe- 
maker, on  his  rounds,  was  detained  at  the  house  of  a 
patron,  and,  having  much  work  before  him,  he  was  still 
sewing  late  into  the  night,  when  he  was  unexpectedly 

105 


106  BOHUSLAN. 

startled  from  his  employment  by  a  little  child  appearing 
before  him,  which  said : 

"  Why  do  you  sit  there  ?    Move  aside." 
"  For  what  ?"  asked  the  shoemaker. 
"  Because  I  wish  to  dance,"  said  the  spectre. 
"  Dance  away,  then !"  said  the  shoemaker. 
When  the  child  had  danced  some  time  it  disappeared, 
but  returned  soon  and  said : 

"  I  will  dance  again,  and  I  '11  dance  your  light  out 
for  you." 

"No,"  said  the  shoemaker,  "let  the  light  alone. 
But  who  are  you  that  you  are  here  in  this  manner?" 
"  I  live  under  the  lower  stone  of  the  steps  to  the 
porch." 

"  Who  put  you  there  ? "  asked  the  shoemaker. 
"  Watch  when  it  dawns,  and  you  will  see  my  mother 
coming,  wearing  a  red  cap.     But  help  me  out  of  this, 
and  I'll  never  dance  again." 

This  the  shoemaker  promised  to  do,  and  the  spectre 
vanished. 

The  next  day  a  servant  girl  from  the  neighbor- 
ing estate  came,  who  wore  upon  her  head  a  red 
handkerchief. 

Digging  was  begun  under  the  designated  step,  and 
in  time  the  skeleton  of  a  child  was  found,  incased  in  a 
wooden  tub.  The  body  was  that  day  taken  to  the 
churchyard,  and  the  mother,  who  had  destroyed  her 
child,  turned  over  to  the  authorities.  Since  then  the 
child  spectre  has  danced  no  more. 


Upon  the  height  where  Svarteborg's  Church  is  now 
situated,  rose,  in  former  times,  a  castle,  occupied  at  the 
date  of  our  story  by  a  king  named  Rane,  after  whom 
the  fortification  took  the  name  of  Ranesborg.  As  late 
as  a  few  years  ago  traces  of  a  wall  were  to  be  seen  in 
the  so-called  bell-tower,  near  the  church  path,  which 
were  said  to  be  the  remains  of  the  once  stately  fortress. 

At  the  time  King  Rane  resided  in  Ranesborg,  there 
lived  not  far  from  there,  upon  the  Hudt  estate,  in  the 
parish  of  Tanum,  a  Queen  Hudta,  widely  known  for 
her  wrealth  and  beauty,  also  for  her  rare  bravery  and 
sour  temper. 

Enraptured  by  the  king's  fame  for  bravery,  though 
well  along  in  years,  she  sent  an  embassador  to  the 
king  offering  him  her  hand,  which  he  accepted.  After 
a  time  he  fell  in  love  with  another  and  regretted  his 
previous  betrothal,  but  said  nothing  to  Queen  Hudta, 
who,  upon  the  appointed  day,  betook  herself,  arrayed 
in  queenly  garb  and  glittering  crown,  to  Ranesborg. 

When  the  bridal  car  arrived  at  the  castle  it  was 
found  that  the  king  had  gone  on  a  hunt,  and  had  left 
word  that  the  queen  might  return  to  her  home  again. 
Stung  by  this  bitter  affront,  the  queen  commanded  her 
people  to  storm  the  castle  and  raze  it  to  the  ground. 
Returning  to  her  horse,  when  the  destruction  had  been 
completed,  and  viewing  the  black  and  smoking  ruins 
of  the  castle,  she  thus  vented  herself : 

107 


108  BOHUSLAN. 

"  Up  to  the  present  you  have  been  called  Kanesborg, 
but  hereafter  you  shall  be  known  as  Svarteborg" 
Black   Castle  —  and,  putting  spurs  to   her   horse,  she 
galloped  away  from  the  spot. 

When  the  queen  came  to  the  so-called  Kopstad- 
backen,  on  her  way  to  Tanum,  she  halted  at  a  spring, 
dismounted  and  laid  her  crown  and  equipments  upon  a 
stone.  She  then  requested  a  drink,  and,  the  water  being 
good,  the  spring  was  named  Godtakallan  —  good  spring. 
Meantime  Kane,  during  the  chase,  had  observed 
the  smoke  and  flames  from  his  burning  castle  and  set 
out  hastily  homeward.  At  Kopstadbiicken  he  came 
upon  the  bridal  car  of  the  malevolent  queen,  when  he 
understood  what  had  taken  place,  and  drawing  his 
sword,  he  clove  the  head  of  his  intended  bride.  At 
sight  of  this  her  followers  at  once  took  to  flight,  but 
they  were  overtaken  and  hewn  down  at  Stenehed, 
where  one  of  the  finest  monuments  on  Bohuslan  marks 
the  incident.  The  murdered  queen's  body  was  carried 
to  her  castle  at  Hudt,  where  a  large  prostrate  stone 
near  the  wagon  road  is  said  to  mark  her  grave. 


of 


One  time  a  peasant,  en  route  to  Jonkoping  with  a 
load  of  rye,  came  just  at  dusk  to  Allaberg,  where  he 
discovered  a  grand  mansion  by  the  way.  "  Maybe  I 
can  sell  my  rye  here,"  thought  he,  "and  so  be  spared 
the  journey  to  Jonkoping,"  and,  approaching  the  door, 
he  knocked  for  admittance. 

The  door  was  at  once  opened  by  some  unseen  power, 
and  the  peasant  entered. 

Upon  entering,  he  found  himself  in  a  grand  hall.  In 
the  middle  of  the  floor  stood  a  large  table  and  upon  the 
table  lay  twelve  golden  helmets,  grand  beyond  the 

109 


110  VEST  ERGOTL  AND. 

power  of  description,  and  scattered  around  the  room, 
deep  in  slumber,  were  twelve  knights  in  glittering 
armor. 

The  peasant  contemplated  his  beautiful  surround- 
ings, but,  concluding  he  could  not  sell  his  rye  here,  went 
on,  coming  finally  to  a  large  stable,  where  he  found 
standing  twelve  most  magnificent  steeds,  bedecked 
with  golden  trappings  and  silver  shoes  on  their  hoofs, 
stamping  in  their  stalls. 

Curiosity  getting  the  better  of  him,  he  took  hold  of 
the  bridle  of  one  of  the  horses  in  order  to  learn  by  what 
art  it  was  made.  Hardly  had  he  touched  it  when  he 
heard  a  voice  call  out,  "  Is  it  time  now?"  and  another 
answer,  "  No,  not  yet ! " 

The  peasant  had  now  seen  and  heard  as  much  as 
he  desired,  and,  thoroughly  frightened,  hastened  away. 
When  he  came  out  he  found  that  he  had  been  into  the 
mountain  instead  of  into  a  mansion,  and  that  he  had 
seen  the  twelve  knights  who  sleep  there  until  the  coun- 
try shall  be  in  some  great  danger,  when  they  will  awake 
and  help  Sweden  to  defend  herself  against  her  foreign 
enemies. 


of 


Shortly  after  King  Charles  XL  had  confiscated 
most  of  the  property  of  the  nobility  to  the  use  of  the 
crown,  he  came,  one  day,  while  upon  one  of  his  jour- 
neys to  Ilojentorp,  where  his  aunt  on  his  father's  side, 
Maria  Eufrosyna,  lived. 

On  the  stairs,  as  he  was  about  to  enter  her  dwelling, 
he  was  met  by  her  and  at  once  saluted  with  a  sound 
box  on  the  ear.  Astounded,  the  king  burst  out : 

"  It  is  fortunate  that  it  is  I  whom  you  have  struck ! 
but  why  are  you  in  such  a  combative  mood,  my  aunt  ? " 

"Why?"  said  the  countess.  "Because  you  have 
taken  all  my  possessions  from  me." 

Conducting  the  king  to  the  dining  hall,  the  countess 
sat  before  him  to  eat  a  herring's  tail  and  an  oat  cake. 

"Have  you  no  better  fare  for  me  than  this  ? "  asked 
the  king. 

"  No,"  replied  the  lady ;  "  as  you  have  spread  the 
cloth  so  must  you  dine." 

"  Aunt,"  said  the  king,  "  if  you  will  give  me  your 
gold  and  silver,  I  will  provide  for  you  richly  to  your 
death." 

"  Shame  on  you  ! "  interrupted  the  countess.  "  Will 
you  not  allow  me  to  keep  so  little  as  my  gold  and  silver, 

*This  legend  is  noteworthy  as  showing  how  time  and  fancy  often 
clothe  the  historical  fact  in  mythical  garb.  The  reader's  attention  is  called 
to  similar  cases  in  this  collection,  among  them  the  Lord  of  Ugerup,  Bishop 
Svedborg  and  the  Devil ,  Lady  Barbro,  of  Brokind,  Jonas  Spits,  etc. 

Ill 


112  VESTERGOTLAND. 

either?''  and,  advancing  upon  him,  she  gave  him  a 
second  box  on  the  ear,  which  so  alarmed  the  king 
that  he  beat  a  hasty  retreat  and  commanded  that 
the  countess  be  left  in  peaceful  possession  of  her  prop- 
erty to  the  end  of  her  days. 


On  Skalunda  Hill,  near  Skalunda  Church,  there 
lived,  in  olden  times,  a  giant,  who,  much  annoyed  by 
the  ringing  of  the  church  bells,  was  finally  compelled 
to  move  away,  and  took  up  his  residence  on  an  island, 
far  away  in  the  North  Sea.  One  time  a  ship  was 
wrecked  upon  this  island,  and  among  those  of  her  crew 
rescued  were  several  men  from  Skalunda. 

113 


1U  VESTERGOTLAND. 

"  Where  are  you  from  ? "  inquired  the  giant,  who 
was  now  old  and  blind,  and  was  stretched  out  warming 
himself  before  a  fire  of  logs. 

"We  are  from  Skalunda,  if  you  wish  to  know," 
said  one  of  the  men. 

"  Give  me  your  hand,  for  I  wish  to  know  if  still 
there  is  warm  blood  in  Sweden,"  said  the  giant. 

The  man,  afraid  of  the  grasp  of  the  giant,  drew  a 
glowing  iron  rod  from  the  fire,  which  he  extended  to 
the  giant,  who,  grasping  it  with  great  force,  squeezed 
it  until  the  iron  ran  between  his  fingers. 

"Ah,  yes,  there  is. still  warm  blood  in  Sweden," 
exclaimed  he,  "  but  does  Skalunda  Hill  still  exist  ? " 

"  No,  the  birds  have  scratched  it  down,"  answered 
the  man. 

"  It  could  not  stand,"  remarked  the  giant,  "  for 
my  wife  and  daughter  built  it  one  Sunday  morning. 
But  how  is  it  with  Halle  and  Hunneberg  ?  They  re- 
main, surely,  for  I  myself  built  them." 

Upon  receiving  a  reply  in  the  affirmative,  he  asked  if 
Karin,  a  giantess,  still  lived,  and  when  to  this  he  was  ans- 
wered yes,  he  gave  them  a  belt  and  bade  them  take  it  to 
Karin  and  say  to  her  that  she  must  wear  it  in  his  memory. 

The  men  took  the  belt,  and  upon  their  return  home 
gave  it  to  Karin,  but,  before  she  would  put  it  upon 
herself,  she  wrapped  it  around  an  oak  which  was  grow- 
ing near  by.  Hardly  was  this  done  when  the  oak  was 
torn  from  the  ground,  and  sailed  off  northward  as  if  in 
a  gale.  In  the  ground  where  the  oak  stood,  there  was 
left  a  deep  pit,  and  here  to-day  is  pointed  out  the  best 
spring  in  Stommen. 


in 


In  a  mountain  called  Kafvakullen,  Fox  Hill,  near 
the  Church  o'f  Kesslared,  Trolls,  it  is  said,  have  lived 
since  long  before  the  building  of  the  church. 

When  the  church  was  completed  and  the  bell  hung 
in  the  tower,  the  priest,  as  was  the  custom,  proceeded 
to  read  prayers  over  it  to  protect  it  from  the  power  of 
the  Trolls.  But  his  prayers  lacked  the  expected  effi- 
cacy, for  he  had  not  yet  finished  when  the  Trolls  took 
the  bell  and  sunk  it  in  the  "  Troll  Hole "  near  the 
church. 

A  new  bell  was  cast  and  hung,  and  this  time  the 
provost,  who  was  more  learned,  was  selected  to  conse- 
crate it.  The  provost  also  failed  to  hit  upon  the  right 
prayers,  for  the  following  Sunday,  when  the  bell  was 
about  to  be  used  for  the  first  time,  it  flew  through  the 
apertures  in  the  tower  and  was  broken  on  the  roof  of 
the  church. 

Again  a  bell  was  cast,  and  this  time,  as  priest 
and  provost  seemed  to  be  powerless  against  the  Trolls, 
the  Bishop  of  Skara  was  sent  for.  His  prayers  were 
effectual,  and  the  bell  was  not  again  disturbed. 

The  Trolls  thereafter  dwelt  in  harmony  with  their 
neighbors,  and  especially  with  the  parishioners  of  Ress- 
lared.  From  the  latter  the  Trolls  were  Avont  to  bor- 
row food  and  drink,  which  they  always  returned 
two-fold. 

115 


116  VESTEKGOTLAND. 

In  time  the  first  residents  died  off,  and  new  people 
took  their  places.  The  newcomers  were  well  provided 
with  this  world's  goods,  even  to  being  wealthy,  but 
they  were  niggardly  and  uncharitable. 

One  day  the  "  mother  "  of  the  Trolls  went,  as  was 
her  custom  of  old,  to  a  cottage,  and  asked  the  house- 
wife if  she  could  lend  her  a  measure  of  meal. 

"  No,  that  is  out  of  the  question  !  I  have  none  in 
the  house !  "  said  the  woman. 

"  Very  well !  it  is  as  you  say,  of  course,"  replied 
the  Troll,  "  but  maybe  you  can  lend  me  a  can  or  two 
of  ale.  My  husband  is  away,  and  he  will  be  very 
thirsty  when  he  returns.7' 

"  No,  I  can't  do  that.     My  ale  cans  are  all  empty," 
answered  the  housewife. 

"  Very  good!  Maybe  you  can  lend  me  a  little  milk 
for  my  little  child  that  is  sick  in  the  mountain." 

"  Milk !  Where  should  I  get  milk  ?  My  cows  are 
all  farrow,"  said  the  woman. 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  Troll  woman,  and  went 
her  way. 

The  housewife  laughed  in  her  sleeve,  and  thought 
that  she  had  escaped  the  Trolls  cheaply ;  but  when  she 
inspected  her  larder  it  was  found  that  she  had  really  told 
the  truth  to  the  Troll  woman.  The  meal  boxes  were 
swept  olean,  the  ale  barrels  were  empty,  and  the  new 
milch  cows,  to  the  last  one,  farrow.  Ever  after  that 
the  plenty  that  had  heretofore  been  was  wanting,  until 
finally  the  people  were  compelled  to  sell  out  and 
move  away. 


mxd 


Bishop  Svedberg,  of  Skara,  was 
very  pious    man   and    a    mighty 
preacher,  therefore,  intolerable  to  the 
devil. 

One  night  the  Bishop  set  out  from  Skara  to  his 
bishopric  in  Brunsbo.  When  he  was  on  the  way 
some  distance,  the  wagon  began  to  run  from  side  to 

117 


118  VESTERGOTLAND. 

side  of  the  road,  and  finally  one  of  the  hind  wheels 
fell  off  and  rolled  away  into  the  ditch. 

The  driver  called  the  attention  of  the  Bishop  to 
this,  and  remarked  that  they  could  go  no  farther. 

u  Don't  trouble  yourself  about  that,"  said  the 
Bishop.  "  Throw  the  wheel  into  the  rear  of  the  wagon 
and  we  will  go  along." 

The  servant  thought  this  a  strange  command,  but 
did  as  directed,  and  the  journey  was  continued  to 
Brunsbo  without  further  adventure. 

Arriving  at  the  inn,  the  Bishop  directed  the  servant 
to  go  to  the  kitchen  and  bring  a  light. 

"  Look,  now,"  said  the  Bishop  to  the  servant  upon 
his  return,  "  and  you  shall  see  who  has  been  the  fourth 
wheel,"  at  the  same  time  springing  from  the  wagon. 

The  servant  turned  the  light  in  the  direction  indicated, 
where  he  saw  none  other  than  the  devil  himself,  standing 
in  the  place  of  the  wheel,  with  the  axle  in  his  hands. 

The  devil  soon  found  an  opportunity  for  revenge. 
One  night  a  great  fire  spread  over  Brunsbo,  and  before 
morning  the  whole  place  was  burned  to  the  ground. 

The  Bishop  was  at  no  loss  to  know  who  had  played 
him  this  foul  trick,  and  called  the  devil  to  account  for 
the  devastation. 

"  Verily,  you  shall  know/'  said  the  devil.  "  Your 
maid  was  down  in  the  pantry,  and  there  snuffed  the 
candle.  Passing  by,  I  took  the  snuffing  and  with  it 
set  fire  to  the  place." 

The  Bishop  was  obliged  to  be  content  with  this 
answer,  but  in  order  that  the  devil  should  do  him  no 
further  harm  he  sent  him,  with  all  his  imps,  to  hell. 


rcasxtre  tit 


On  the  estate  of  Sa'by,  in  the  parish  of  Hassle, 
lived,  in  former  days,  a  gentleman  so  rich  that  he 
could  have  purchased  half  of  the  territory  of  Yes- 
tergotland,  but  so  miserly  that  he  could  not  find  it  in 
liis  heart  to  spend  money  for  necessary  food. 

When  he  became  aged,  and  knew  that  his  life  was 
drawing  to  a  close,  he  began  to  ponder  what  he  should 
do  with  his  wealth  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the  hands 
of  people  not  akin  to  him,  and  finally  he  arrived  at 
what  he  thought  a  wise  determination. 

One  Sunday,  when  the  people  of  the  house  were 
all  in  church,  he  loaded  his  gold  and  silver  upon  a 
golden  wagon  and  drew  it  down  to  Saby  Creek,  where 
he  sank  it  in  the  deepest  hole  he  could  find.  Reaching 
home  again,  he  felt  more  than  usually  content,  and  laid 
himself  down  upon  his  bed,  where  he  was  found  upon 
the  return  of  the  people  from  church. 

When  a  treasure  has  been  concealed  seven  years, 
the  Red  Spirit  is  said  to  take  possession  of  it,  and  it  is 
then  called  "  Dragon's  property."  Over  the  spot 
where  the  treasure  lies  a  blue  flame  is  seen  to  flutter 
at  night  time,  and  it  is  said  the  dragons  are  then  pol- 
ishing their  treasure. 

When  the  seven  years  had  passed  the  dragon  light 
was  seen  over  Sa'by  Creek,  now  for  the  first  time 
revealing  where  the  miser  had  deposited  his  wealth. 

119 


120  VESTEKGOTLAND, 

Many  efforts  were  made  to  recover  the  costly  wagon 
and  its-  load,  but  neither  horses  nor  oxen  were  found 
with  strength  enough  to  lift  it  from  the  hole. 

About  this  time  it  happened  that  a  farmer,  return- 
ing from  the  market  of  Skagersholm,  where  he  had 
been  with  a  load  of  produce,  found  quarters  for  the 
night  with  an  old  man  at  Tveden.  The  evening  con- 
versation turned  upon  the  hidden  treasure,  and  the 
many  unsuccessful  attempts  to  recover  it  that  had  been 
made,  when  the  old  man  instructed  his  guest  to  pro- 
cure a  pair  of  bull  calves,  upon  which  there  should  not 
be  a  single  black  hair,  and  to  feed  them  for  three 
years  on  skimmed  milk,  whereby  they  would  acquire 
the  necessary  strength  to  drag  the  wagon  out  of 
the  creek. 

After  great  trouble  the  farmer  was  fortunate  enough 
to  find  the  desired  white  calves,  and  he  at  once  set  about 
rearing  them  as  instructed.  But  one  time  the  girl 
who  had  care  of  the  calves  accidentally  spilled  some 
of  the  milk  set  apart  for  one  of  them,  and,  in  or- 
der to  have  the  pail  full,  she  replaced  the  milk  with 
water  and  gave  it  to  the  calf  as  if  nothing  haj.  hap- 
pened. Meantime  the  calves  grew  up  on  their  excel- 
lent food  to  large  and  powerful  oxen. 

When  they  were  three  years  old  the  farmer  drove 
them  to  the  creek  and  hitched  them  to  the  golden 
wagon.  It  was  heavy,  but  the  calves  put  their  shoul- 
ders to  it,  and  had  raised  it  half  way  from  the  hole, 
when  one  of  them  fell  upon  his  knees,  and  the  wagon 
sank  back  to  its  old  resting-place.  The  farmer  yoked 
them  to  it  again,  but  just  as  the  wagon  was  about  to  be 


VESTEKQOTLAND.  121 

landed  safely,  the  same  bull  fell  to  its  knees  a  second 
time,  so  it  went  time  after  time,  until,  finally,  the 
owner  saw  that  one  of  the  bulls  was  weaker  than  the 
other. 

When  the  wagon  sank  back  the  last  time  a  bub- 
bling and  murmuring  came  up  from  the  depths  and  a 
smothered  voice  was  heard  to  mutter: 

"Your  skimmed  milk  calves  can't  draw  my  wagon 
out."  Whereupon  the  farmer  understood  that  to 
trouble  himself  further  would  be  useless,  since  when 
no  attempts  have  been  made  to  secure  the  treasure. 


A 


h 


.it 


• 

1 


In  descriptions  of  Tomts  we 
are  told  that  they  look  like  little 
men  well  along  in  years,  and  in 
size  about  that  of  a  child  three 
or  fours  years  old,  as  a  rule  clad  in 
coarse  gray  clothes  and  wearing  red 
caps  upon  their  heads.     They  usually 
make  the  pantry  or  barn  their  abiding- 

*  The  belief  in  Torats  has  been  handed  down  to  us  through 
many  generations,  and  is  widespread  in  Sweden.  In  the  opinion 

128 


OSTERGOTLAND.  123 

place,  where  they  busy  themselves  night  and  day, 
and  keep  watch  over  the  household  arrangements. 
When  the  servants  are  to  go  to  threshing,  or  other 
work  requiring  early  rising,  they  are  awakened  by 
the  Tomts.  If  there  is  build-ing  going  on,  it  is  a 
good  sign  if  the  Tomts  are  heard  chopping  and  pound- 
ing during  the  hours  of  rest  for  the  workmen.  In  the 
forge  where  the  Tomts  have  established  themselves, 
the  smith  may  take  his  rest  in  confidence  that  they 
will  awaken  him  by  a  blow  on  the  sole  of  the  foot  when 
it  is  time  for  him  to  turn  the  iron.  Formerly  no  iron 
was  worked  on  "  Tomt  night,"  which  they  reserved  for 
purposes  of  their  own.  On  this  night,  were  one  to 
peek  through  the  cracks  of  the  door,  the  little  people 
would  be  discovered  working  silver  bars,  or  turning 
their  own  legs  under  the  hammer. 

It  is  believed  that  in  the  house  or  community  where 
there  is  order  and  prosperity  the  Tomts  are  resident, 
but  in  the  house  where  proper  respect  is  lacking,  or 
where  there  is  a  want  of  order  and  cleanliness,  they 
will  not  remain,  and  it  will  follow  that  the  cup-board 
and  corn-crib  will  be  empty,  the  cattle  will  not  thrive, 
and  the  peasant  will  be  reduced  to  extreme  poverty 
and  want. 

It  happened  thus  to  a  farmer  that  he  had  never 
finished  his  threshing  before  spring,  although  he  could 
not  find  that  he  had  harvested  more  grain  than  others 

of  the  writer  they  are  nothing  more  or  less  than  an  inheritance  from  the 
classical  past  and  a  remnant  of  the  domestic  worship  which  the  ancients 
bestowed  upon  their  family  gods.  Legends  similar  to  this  are  related  in 
Norway,  where  the  spirit  is  called  Topvette  or  Tomlevette  and  Gardos; 
also  in  Faroe  Islands,  where  they  are  called  Niagriusar,  and  in  Germany, 
where  they  are  called  Kobolde,  etc. 


124  OSTERGOTLAND. 

of  his  neighbors.  To  discover,  if  might  be,  the  source 
of  such  plenty,  he  one  day  hid  himself  in  the  barn, 
whence  he  saw  a  multitude  of  Tomts  come,  each  bear- 
ing a  stalk  of  rye,  among  them  one  not  larger  than 
a  man's  thumb,  bearing  a  straw  upon  his  shoulders. 

"  Why  do  you  puff  so  hard  ? "  said  the  farmer  from 
his  hiding-place,  "  your  burden  is  not  so  great.'' 

"  His  burden,  is  according  to  his  strength,  for  he  is 
but  one  night  old,"  answered  one  of  the  Tomts,  "  but 
hereafter  you  shall  have  less." 

From  that  day  all  luck  disappeared  from  the  farm- 
er's house,  and  finally  he  was  reduced  to  beggary. 

In  many  districts  it  has  been  the  custom  to  set  out 
a  bowl  of  mush  for  the  fairies  on  Christmas  eve. 

In  the  parish  of  Nyhil  there  are  two  estates  lying 
near  each  other,  and  both  called  Tobo.  On  one  was  a 
Tomt,  who,  on  Christmas  eve,  was  usually  entertained 
with  wheaten  mush  and  honey.  One  time  the  mush 
was  so  warm  when  it  was  set  out  that  the  honey 
melted.  When  the  Tomt  came  to  the  place  and  failed 
to  find  his  honey  as  heretofore,  he  oecame  so  angry 
that  he  went  to  the  stable  and  choked  one  of  the  cows 
to  death.  After  having  done  this  he  returned  and  ate 
the  mush,  and,  upon  emptying  the  dish,  found  the 
honey  in  the  bottom.  Repenting  his  deed  of  a  few 
minutes  before,  he^carried  the  dead  cow  to  a  neighbor- 
ing farm  and  led  therefrom  a  similar  cow  with  which 
to  replace  the  one  he  had  killed.  During  his  absence 
the  women  had  been  to  the  barn  and  returned  to  the 
house,  where  the  loss  was  reported  to  the  men,  but 
when  the  latter  arrived  at  the  cow-shed  the  missing 


OSTERGOTLAND.  135 

cow  had  apparently  returned.  The  next  day  they 
heard  of  the  dead  cow  on  the  adjoining  farm,  and  un- 
derstood tl*x*  the  Tomts  had  been  at  work. 

In  one  place,  in  the  municipality  of  Ydre,  a  house- 
wife remarked  that  however  much  she  took  of  meal 
from  the  bins  there  seemed  to  be  no  diminution  of  the 
store,  but  rather  an  augmentation.  One  day  when  she 
went  to  the  larder  she  espied,  through  the  chinks  of 
the  door,  a  little  man  sifting  meal  with  all  his  might. 

Noticing  that  his  clothes  were  very  much  worn,  she 
thought  to  reward  him  for  his  labor  and  the  good  he 
had  brought  her,  and  made  him  a  new  suit,  which  she 
hung  upon  the  meal  bin,  hiding  herself  to  see  what  he 
would  think  of  his  new  clothes.  When  the  Tomt  came 
again  he  noticed  the  new  garments,  and  at  once  ex- 
changed his  tattered  ones  for  the  better,  but  when  he 
began  to  sift  and  found  that  the  meal  made  his  fine 
clothes  dusty  he  threw  the  sieve  into  the  corner  and 
said : 

"  Junker  Grand  is  dusting  himself.    He  shall  sift 


Cat  of 


On  the  estate  of  Xorrhult,  in  the  parish  of  Rumskulla, 
the  people  in  olden  times  were  very  much  troubled  by 
Trolls  and  ghosts.  The  disturbances  finally  became 
so  unbearable  that  they  were  compelled  to  desert  house 
and  home,  and  seek  an  asylum  with  their  neighbors. 
One  old  man  was  left  behind,  and  he,  because  he  was 
so  feeble  that  he  could  not  move  with  the  rest. 

Some  time  thereafter,  there  came  one  evening  a 
man  having  with  him  a  bear,  and  asked  for  lodgings 
for  himself  and  companion.  The  old  man  consented, 
but  expressed  doubts  about  his  guest  being  able  to  en- 
dure the  disturbances  that  were  likely  to  occur  during 
the  night. 

The  stranger  replied  that  he  was  not  afraid  of 
noises,  and  laid  himself  down,  with  his  bear,  near  the 
old  man's  bed. 

Only  a  few  hours  had  passed,  when  a  multitude  of 
Trolls  came  into  the  hut  and  began  their  usual  clatter. 
Some  of  them  built  the  fire  in  the  fireplace,  others  set 
the  kettle  upon  the  fire,  and  others  again  put  into  the 
kettle  a  mess  of  filth,  such  as  lizards,  frogs,  worms,  etc. 

"When  the  mess  Was  cooked,  the  table  was  laid  and 
the  Trolls  sat  down  to  the  repast.  One  of  them  threw 
a  worm  to  the  bear,  and  said : 

"Will  you  have  a  fish,  Kitty  ?" 

*  Not  longer  than  thirty  years  ago  a  cross,  said  to  be  the  one  raised  on 
this  occasion,  was  still  standing  in  Norrhult. 

136 


OSTEEGOTLAND.  137 

Another  went  to  the  bear  keeper  and  asked  him  if 
he  would  not  have  some  of  their  food.  At  this  the  lat- 
ter let  loose  the  bear,  which  struck  about  him  so  lustily 
that  soon  the  whole  swarm  was  flying  through  the 
door. 

Some  time  after,  the  door  was  again  opened,  and  a 
Troll  with  mouth  so  large  that  it  filled  the  whole  open- 
ing peeked  in.  "  Sic  him ! "  said  the  bear  keeper,  and 
the  bear  soon  hunted  him  away -also. 

In  the  morning  the  stranger  gathered  the  people  of 
the  village  around  him  and  directed  them  to  raise  a 
cross  upon  the  estate,  and  to  engrave  a  prayer  on  Cross 
Mountain,  where  the  Trolls  dwelt,  and  they  would  be 
freed  from  their  troublesome  visitors. 

Seven  years  later  a  resident  of  Norrhult  went  to 
Norrkoping.  On  his  way  home  he  met  a  man  who 
asked  him  where  he  came  from,  and,  upon  being  in- 
formed, claimed  to  be  a  neighbor,  and  invited  the 
peasant  to  ride  with  him  on  his  black  horse.  Away 
they  went  at  a  lively  trot  along  the  road,  the  peasant 
supposed,  but  in  fact  high  up  in  the  air.  When  it  be- 
came quite  dark  the  horse  stumbled  so  that  the  peasant 
came  near  falling  off. 

"It  is  well  you  were  able  to  hold  on,"  said  the 
horseman.  "  That  was  the  point  of  the  steeple  of  Lin- 
koping's  cathedral  that  the  horse  stumbled  against. 
Listen !  "  continued  he.  "  Seven  years  ago  I  visited 
Norrhult.  You  then  had  a  vicious  cat  there ;  is  it  still 
alive?" 

"  Yes,  truly,  and  many  more,"  said  the  peasant. 

After  a  time  the  rider  checked  his  horse  and  bade 


128  OSTERGOTLAND. 

the  peasant  dismount.  When  the  latter  looked  around 
him  he  found  himself  at  Cross  Mountain,  near  his 
home. 

Some  time  later  another  Troll  came  to  the  peasant's 
cottage  and  asked  if  that  great  savage  cat  still  lived. 

"  Look  out ! "  said  the  peasant,  "  she  is  lying  there 
on  the  oven,  and  has  seven  young  ones,  all  worse  than 
she." 

"  Oh ! "  cried  the   Troll,  and  rushed   for  the  door. 
From  that  time  no  Trolls  have  ever  visited  Norrhult. 


^adig  spar&ro  of 


On  the  estate  of  Brokind,  in  the  parish  of  Yards- 
nas,  dwelt,  in  days  gone  by,  a  rich  and  distinguished 

*This  story  was  found,  after  his  death,  among  the  papers  of  the  lect- 
urer, J.  Vallman.  The  estate  of  Brokind,  before  it  came  into  the  possession 
of  the  family  of  Count  Falkenberg,  was  owned,  for  about  two  centuries, 
by  the  family  of  Night  and  Day.  It  is  probable  that  the  Lady  Barbro 
wrought  into  this  legend  is  Lady  Barbro,  Erik's  daughter,  wife,  of  Senator 
Mons,  Johnson  Night  and  Day,  though  how  she  was  made  to  play  a  part 
in  the  narrative  is  not  known,  as  her  body  was  not  impaled  in  a  swamp, 
but  rests  peacefully  in  an  elegant  grave  in  the  cathedral  of  Linkoping. 

129 


130  OSTEEGOTLAND. 

lady  named  Barbro,  who  was  so  hard-hearted  and 
severe  with  her  dependents  that  for  the  least  transgres- 
sion they  were  bound,  their  hands  behind  their  backs, 
and  cast  into  prison,  where,  to  add  to  their  misery,  she 
caused  a  table,  upon  which  a  bountiful  supply  of  food 
and  drink  was  placed,  to  be  spread  before  them,  which, 
of  course,  bound  as  they  were,  they  could  not  reach. 
Upon  complaint  being  made  to  her  that  the  prisoners 
were  perishing  from  hunger  and  thirst,  she  would  reply, 
laughingly:  "  They  have  both  food  and  drink ;  if  they 
will  not  partake  of  it  the  fault  is  theirs,  not  mine." 

Thus  the  prison  at  Brokind  was  known  far  and 
wide,  and  the  spot  where  it  stood  is  to  this  day  called 
Kisthagen,  in  memory  of  it. 

When  Lady  Barbro  finally  died  she  was  buried  in 
the  grave  with  her  forefathers,  in  the  cathedral  of  Lin- 
koping,  but  this  was  followed  by  such  ghostly  disturb- 
ances that  it  became  necessary  to  take  her  body  up, 
when  it  was  interred  in  the  churchyard  of  Yardsnas. 

Neither  was  she  at  rest  here,  whereupon,  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  one  of  the  wiser  men  of  the  community,  her 
body  was  again  taken  up,  and,  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  twin 
oxen,  was  conveyed  to  a  swamp,  where  it  was  deposited 
and  a  pole  thrust  through  both  coffin  and  corpse.  Ever 
after,  at  nightfall,  an  unearthly  noise  was  heard  in  the 
swamp,  and  the  cry  of  "  Barbro,  pole !  Barbro,  pole  ! " 

The  spirit  was,  for  the  time  being,  quieted,  but,  as 
with  ghosts  in  all  old  places,  it  returned  after  a  time, 
and  often  a  light  is  seen  in  the  large,  uninhabited  build- 
ing at  Brokind. 


From  the  point  where  the  river  Bulsjo  empties  into 
Lake  Sommen,  extending  in  a  northerly  direction  for 
about  eight  miles,  bordering  the  parishes  of  North 
Wij  and  Asby,  nearly  up  to  a  point  called  Hornas, 
stretches  the  principal  fjord,  one  of  several  branching 
off  from  the  large  lake. 

Near  Yishult,  in  the  first  named  of  these  parishes, 
descending  to  the  lake  from  the  elevation  that  fol- 
lows its  west  shores,  is  a  wall-like  precipice,  Urberg, 
which,  from  the  lake,  presents  an  especially  magnificent 
view,  as  well  in  its  height  and  length,  and  in  its  wood- 
crowned  top,  as  in  the  wild  confusion  of  rocks  at  its 
base,  where,  among  the  jumble  of  piled -up  slabs  of 
stones,  gape  large  openings,  into  which  only  the  im- 
agination dares  to  intrude. 

From  this  point  the  mountain  range  extends  south- 
ward toward  Tulleram,  and  northward,  along  the 
shore  of  Lake  Sjohult,  under  the  name  of  Tjorgaberg, 
until  it  ends  in  an  agglomeration  of  rocks  called  Knut's 
Den. 

In  this  mountain  dwells  the  ITrko,  a  monster  cow  of 
traditionary  massiveness,  which,  in  former  times,  when 
she  was  yet  loose,  plowed  the  earth,  making  what  is 
now  Lake  Sommen  and  its  many  fjords.  At  last 

*  This  legend  doubtless  grew  out  of  the  story  of  the  flood,  in  this  form 
relating  how  the  mighty  waters  burst  their  bounds  and  were  in  time  again 
imprisoned  in  their  beds. 

131 


132  OSTERGOTLAND. 

she  was  captured  and  fettered  by  a  Troll  man  from 
Tulleram,  who  squeezed  a  horseshoe  around  the  furious 
animal's  neck  and  confined  her  in  Urberg.  For  food 
she  has  before  her  a  large  cow-hide  from  which  she 
may  eat  a  hair  each  Christmas  eve,  but  when  all  the 
hairs  are  consumed,  she  will  be  liberated  and  the  de- 
struction of  Yd  re  and  all  the  world  is  to  follow. 

But  even  before  this  she  will  be  liberated  from  her 
prison  if  Ydre  is  crossed  by  a  king  whom  she  follows 
and  kills  if  she  can  catch  him  before  he  has  crossed  to 
the  confines  of  the  territory. 

It  happened  one  time  that  a  king  named  Frode,  or 
Fluga,  passed  through  Ydre,  and,  conscious  of  the 
danger,  hurried  to  reach  the  boundaries,  but,  believing 
he  had  already  passed  them,  he  halted  on  the  confines 
at  Fruhammer,  or,  as  the  place  was  formerly  called, 
Flude,  or  Flugehammer,  where  he  was  overtaken  and 
gored  to  death  by  the  monster.  In  confirmation  of 
this  incident,  his  grave,  marked  by  four  stones,  is  to 
this  day  pointed  out. 

Another  narrative,  which,  however,  is  known  only 
in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  territory,  relates  that 
another  king,  unconscious  of  the  danger  accompanying 
travel  in  the  neighborhood,  passed  unharmed  over  the 
border,  and  had  reached  the  estate  of  Kalleberg,  when 
he  heard  behind  him  the  dreadful  bellowing  of  the 
monster  in  full  chase  after  him.  The  king  hastened 
away  as  speedily  as  possible.  The  cow  monster,  un- 
able to  check  its  mad  gallop  at  the  border,  rushed  over 
some  distance  to  the  place  where  the  king  first  paused, 
where,  in  the  gravel-mixed  field,  she  pawed  up  a  round 


OSTERGOTLAND.  133 

hole  of  several  hundred  feet  in  breadth,  which  became 
a  bog,  whose  border,  especially  upon  the  north  side,  is 
surrounded  by  a  broad  wall  of  the  upheaved  earth. 

Still,  at  times,  especially  preceding  a  storm,  the  Urko 
is  heard  rattling  its  fetters  in  the  mountain,  and  both 
upon  the  mountain  and  down  near  the  shore  of  the  lake 
by  times. 

Extraordinary  things  are  said  to  happen.  One  and 
another  of  the  residents  thereabouts  assert  even  that 
they  have  seen  the  Urko  in  her  magnificent  rooms 
and  halls,  which  the  neighbors  do  not  for  a  moment 
doubt. 


Near  Kolefors,  in  the  jurisdiction  of  Kinda,  lived,  a 
long  time  ago,  an  old  woman,  who,  as  the  saying  goes, 
was  accustomed,  during  Easter  week,  to  go  to  Blakulla. 

Late  one  Passion  Wednesday  evening,  as  was  usual 
with  witches,  she  lashed  her  pack  in  readiness  for  the 
night,  to  follow  her  comrades  in  their  wanderings.  In 
order  that  the  start  should  be  accompanied  by  as  few 

134 


OSTERGOTLAND.  135 

hindrances  as  possible,  she  had  greased  her  shoes  and 
stood  them  by  the  fireplace  to  dry. 

In  the  dusk  of  the  evening  there  came  to  her  hut 
another  old  woman,  tired  and  wet  through  from  the 
rain,  and  asked  permission  to  remain  over  night.  To 
this  the  witch  would  not  consent,  but  agreed  to  allow 
the  woman  to  remain  until  she  had  dried  her  soggy 
shoes  before  the  fire,  while  she,  unwilling  to  be  under 
the  same  roof  with  her  guest,  remained  outside. 

After  a  time  the  fire  died  out,  and  it  became  so  dark 
in  the  hut  that  when  the  stranger  undertook  to  find 
her  shoes,  in  order  to  continue  her  journey,  she  got 
and  put  on  the  witch's  shoes  instead.  Hardly  had 
she  passed  out  through  the  door  when  the  shoes  jerked 
her  legs  up  into  the  air  and  stood  her  head  downward, 
without,  however,  lifting  her  into  the  air  and  carrying 
her  away  as  would  have  been  if  the  witch's  broom 
had  been  in  her  hand. 

In  this  condition  the  old  woman  and  the  shoes 
struggled  through  the  night.  Now  the  shoes  stood 
her  on  her  head  and  dragged  her  along  the  ground, 
now  the  woman  succeeded  in  grasping  a  bush  or  root, 
and  was  able  to  regain  her  feet  again  for  a  time. 

In  the  end,  near  morning,  a  man  walking  past, 
noticed  her  and  hastened  to  her  relief.  Answering  her 
earnest  pleading  the  man  poked  off  one  of  the  shoes 
with  a  stick,  whereupon,  instantly,  shoe  and  stick  flew 
into  the  air  and  vanished  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 
After  the  adventures  of  the  night  the  old  Troll  woman 
was  so  weakened  that  she  fell  into  a  hole,  which  is  pointed 
out  to  this  day,  and  is  called  "  The  Troll  Woman's  Pit." 


Wloafl  trad 


Both  wood  nymphs  and  sea  nymphs  belong  to  the 
giant  family,  and  thus  are  related. 

They  often  hold  communication  with  each  other, 
although  the  wood  nymphs  always  hold  themselves  a 
little  above  their  cousins,  which  frequently  occasions 
differences  between  them. 

A  peasant,  lying  in  the  woods  on  the  shores  of  Lake 
Ommeln,  heard  early  one  morning  voices  at  the  lake 
side  engaged  in  vehement  conversation.  Conjecturing 
that  it  was  the  wood  nymphs  and  sea  nymphs  quarrel- 
ing, he  crept  through  the  underbrush  to  a  spot  near 
where  they  sat,  and  listened  to  the  following  dialogue : 

Sea  Nymph  —  "You  shall  not  say  that  you  are 
better  than  I,  for  I  have  five  golden  halls  and  fifty  sil- 
ver cans  in  each  hall." 

Wood  Nymph  —  "I  have  a  mountain  which  is  three 
miles  long  and  six  thousand  feet  high,  and  under  that 
mountain  is  another,  ten  times  higher  and  formed 
entirely  of  bones  of  the  people  I  have  killed." 

When  the  peasant  heard  this  he  became  so  alarmed 

*  The  wood  nymph  dwells  in  large  forests,  and  is  described  as  a  beau- 
tiful young  woman,  when  seen  face  to  face  -,  but  if  her  back  be  turned  to 
one  it  is  hollow,  like  a  dough-trough,  or  resembles  a  block  stub.  Some- 
times, instead  of  a  hollow  back,  she  is  adorned  with  a  bushy  fox  tail.  The 
sea, nymph  dwells,  as  indicated  by  the  name,  at  the  bottom  of  seas  and 
lakes,  and  is  clad  in  a  skirt  so  snow-white  that  it  sparkles  in  the  sunlight. 
Over  the  skirt  she  wears  a  light  blue  jacket.  Usually  ner  appearance  is 
the  forerunner  of  a  storm ;  she  is  then  seen  sitting  upon  a  billow  combing 
her  golden  hair. 

136 


DAL.  137 

that  he  ran  a  league  away,  without  stopping.  Thus 
he  did  not  learn  which  was  victorious,  but  it  was  the 
wood  nymphs  without  doubt,  as  they  have  always 
been  a  little  superior  to  the  others. 


In  the  parish  of  Bolsta  there  lived,  many  years  ago, 
a  man  named  Slottbon.  One  summer  evening  he  rode 
his  horse  to  pasture  up  toward  Dalo  Mountain.  Just 

*This  legend  is  noteworthy  as  being  the  only  one,  as  far  as  the  au- 
thor has  been  able  to  find,  in  which  Troll  property  is  changed  into  snakes. 
Usually  gold  is  changed  into  shavings,  and  silver  to  pebbles  and  sand; 
otherwise  it  brings  disaster  upon  the  usurper  of  Trolldom  and  his  family. 


DAL.  139 

as  he  let  the  horse  go,  and  was  turning  to  go  home,  a 
black  man  confronted  him  and  asked  him  if  he  did  not 
wish  to  see  the  mountain  kitchen. 

Slottbon  acquiesced  and  followed  his  conductor  into 
the  mountain,  where  it  seemed  to  him  certain  that  he 
must  lose  his  senses  among  the  glitter  of  gold  and 
silver  utensils  of  the  kitchen,  with  which  he  was  sur- 
rounded. 

The  mountain  man  inquired  of  his  guest  if  he  should 
order  something  to  eat  for  him,  to  which  Slottbon 
assented,  and,  while  his  host  was  absent  preparing  the 
repast,  improved  the  opportunity  to  gather  up  all  the 
gold  and  silver  his  leather  apron  would  hold,  and  with 
it  hasten  away  with  all  possible  speed,  not  slacking  his 
pace  until  he  came  to  a  gravel  pit,  where  it  occurred  to 
him  to  look  at  his  treasure.  Seating  himself  upon  a 
stone,  he  began  to  throw  the  vessels,  one  after  the  other, 
upon  the  ground,  where,  as  fast  as  they  were  thrown 
down,  they  were  turned  into  serpents. 

Thoroughly  frightened  at  the  sight,  he  dropped  his 
whole  burden  and  took  to  his  heels,  followed  closely 
by  the  wriggling  mass  of  enormous  reptiles.  Finally, 
when  he  had  about  given  himself  up  for  lost,  he  came 
to  and  sprang  upon  the  trunk  of  a  fallen  tree  and  cried 
out,  "  God  save  me,  poor  sinner ! "  and  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye  the  serpents  vanished. 


Many  years  ago  an  epidemic  swept  over  Dalland,  to 
which  thousands  of  persons  fell  victims.  Many  people 
fled  to  the  forests,  or  to  other  regions;  the  churches  were 
deserted,  and  those  remaining  were  not  enough  to  bury 
the  dead.  At  this  stage  an  old  Finlander  came  along,  who 
informed  the  few  survivors  that  they  need  not  hope  for 
cessation  of  the  scourge  until  they  had  buried  some  liv- 
ing thing. 

The  advice  was  followed.  First  a  cock  was  buried 
alive,  bat  the  plague  continued  as  violent  as  ever  ; 
next,  a  goat,  but  this  also  proved  ineffectual.  At  last 
a  poor  boy,  who  frequented  the  neighborhood,  begging, 
was  lured  to  a  wood-covered  hill  at  the  point  where  the 
river  Daleborg  empties  into  Lake  Yenem.  Here  a  deep 
hole  was  dug,  the  boy  meantime  sitting  near,  enjoying 
apiece  of  bread  and  butter  that  had  been  given  him. 
When  the  grave  was  deep  enough  the  boy  was  dropped 
into  it  and  the  diggers  began  hurriedly  to  shovel  the 
dirt  upon  him.  The  lad  begged  and  prayed  them  not 
to  throw  dirt  upon  his  bread  and  butter,  but  the 
spades  flew  faster,  and  in  a  few  minutes,  still  alive,  he 
was  entirely  covered  and  left  to  his  fate. 

Whether  this  stayed  the  plague  is  not  known,  but 
many  who  after  night  pass  the  hill,  hear,  it  is  said,  a 
voice  as  if  from  a  dying  child,  crying,  "  Buried  alive  ! 
buried  alive ! " 

*As  late  as  1875  a  farmer  near  Mariestad,  during  an  epidemic  among 
his  cattle,  buried  alive  a  cow  in  the  ground.  Whether  this  cruel  expe- 
dient was  effective  the  author  is  not  informed. 

140 


At  Helgy,  in  the  parish  of  Sunne,  lived  a  warrior, 
by  name  Jonas  Spits,  who,  in  wars  against  the  Russians 

*The  ennobled  Gyllenspits  was  born  at  Speserund,  in  the  parish  of 
Millisvik,  in  Vermland,  some  time  in  the  year  lt>09.  During  the  Polish 
and  German  wars  he  made  his  way  up  from  the  ranks  to  lieutenant-colonel, 
and  was  made  a  noble  in  1660.  He  was  afterward  colonel,  and  finally  major- 
general  of  infantry.  He  died  in  1679,  and  is  buried  in  Sunne  Church-  in 
Vermland. 


142  VERMLAND. 

and  others,  had  gained  for  himself  the  reputation  of  a 
brave  man. 

It  so  happened  that  there  was  a  revolt  in  the  land, 
and  the  king  sent  a  message  to  Spits,  commanding  his 
services  in  battle.  One  Sunday  morning,  after  the 
troops  had  assembled  in  the  field,  Spits  was  engaged  in 
grinding  his  sword. 

"This  is  right!"  said  the  king.  "There  will  be 
fighting  to-morrow ;  let  me  see  that  you  make  good 
use  of  your  weapon  then." 

"  I  shall  not  fail  you,"  answered  Spits,  and  con- 
tinued his  grinding. 

The  next  day  brought  a  bloody  conflict,  in  which 
Spits'  sword  was  not  idle  until  the  evening  and  the 
conclusion  of  the  battle,  when  the  king  asked  for  him. 

"  Here  I  am,"  answered  Spits,  bowing  before  him. 

"  Let  me  see  your  sword,"  said  the  king,  "  and  know 
what  services  you  have  done  this  day." 

"  Here  it  is,"  said  Spits,  at  the  same  time  reaching 
for  the  weapon  covered  with  blood. 

"Good!"  said  the  king.  "I '11  gild  this  sword  for 
you."  Whereupon  he  knighted  him  and  commanded 
that  he  should  be  called  "  The  Spits  of  Gyllenspits." 


of  gflstolro. 


A  few  miles  west  of  Karlstad,  on  a  little  island 
near  Slottsbrosund,  was  located,  in  former  days,  an 
old  fortress  called  Asa,  or  Edsholm  Castle,  otherwise 
notorious  as  the  residence  of  the  cruel  stewards  of 
Yestersysslet. 

A  niggardly  and  cruel  woman,  Lady  Rangela,  for 
a  time  owned  Edsholm  and  all  the  land  thereabout. 
She  soon  made  herself  bitterly  hated  by  the  peasantry 
because  of  the  oppressions  she  heaped  upon  them,  and 
especially  because  of  the  unreasonable  toll  she  de- 
manded every  time  they  crossed  the  castle  bridge. 

According  to  agreement,  two  peasants  went  one 
day,  the  one  to  the  top  of  Edsholm  Mountain  and  the 
second  to  a  mountain  on  the  other  side  of  the  sound 
near  the  castle,  whereupon  the  following  conversation 
was  carried  on  between  them,  in  a  loud  voice : 

"  My  dear  neighbor,  lend  me  your  large  kettle." 

"  What  do  you  want  with  it  ? " 

"  I  want  to  cook  Lady  Rangela  of  Edsholm  Castle, 
because  she  demands  too  high  toll  from  passers  over 
the  bridge." 

"  You  shall  have  it  gladly." 

This  was  heard  at  the  castle,  and  Lady  Eangela, 
believing  it  to  be  the  Trolls  planning  her  destruction, 
hurriedly  packed  her  treasures  and  deserted  Edsholm. 
She  had,  however,  gone  no  further  than  to  Kangelsund, 

143 


144  VERMLAND. 

or  Ransund,  which  is  named  after  her,  when  a  severe 
storm  overtook  her  and  sunk  the  boat,  with  people, 
treasure  and  all. 

When  the  peasantry  learned  what  had  happened, 
they  poured  into  the  castle  and  razed  it  to  the  ground, 
since  when  there  has  been  nothing  to  indicate  its  exis- 
tence more  than  a  few  heaps  of  gravel. 


0f 


At  the  mouth  of  the  Bay  of  Olme,  upon  a  little 
island,  which  on  its  west  side  is  connected  with  the 
island  of  Kumel,  is  situated  the  castle  of  Saxeholm. 

Here  dwelt,  in  former  days,  a  powerful  chief,  by 
name  Saxe,  the  greater  part  of  whose  time  was  spent 
in  bloody  warfare,  in  which  occupation  he  seemed 
to  find  great  success  and  pleasure.  At  home  he  was 
gloomy  and  reserved,  and  very  cruel  to  his  wife. 

Finally,  becoming  wearied  by  her  husband's  con- 
tinued harshness,  she  determined  to  elope  with  another 
who  better  understood  how  to  reward  her  love. 

One  time  when  Saxe  was  at  Christmas  matins  in 
the  church  at  Yarnum,  his  wife  set  fire  to  the  castle, 
shut  the  gates  and  threw  the  key  over  the  wall  into  the 
garden  outside.  Preceding  this  she  had  commanded 
that  her  horses  be  shod  with  shoes  reversed,  thus  hop- 
ing to  bewilder  her  pursuers,  then,  with  her  lover  and 
a  few  trusty  servants,  the  castle  was  deserted,  and  her 
way  taken  over  the  ice-covered  bay. 

When  Saxe  came  home,  he  found  his  castle  wrapped 
in  flames,  and  the  following  lines  written  on  the 
outer  gate: 

"  Within  is  burning  Saxe's  knout, 
And  Saxe  the  cruel  must  lie  without." 

What  the  chief's  thoughts  were  at  such  a  greeting 
is  not  related.  Meantime  his  wife,  before  she  left  the 

lift 


146  VEKMLAND. 

castle,  had  deposited,  in  one  of  the  vaults,  a  chest 
filled  with  valuables,  and  had  declared  that  no  human 
power  should  move  it  therefrom. 

Many  attempts  have  since  been  made  to  unearth 
this  treasure,  and  it  is  said  that  more  than  once  the 
searchers  have  so  far  succeeded  as  to  get  a  glimpse  of 
the  iron-bound  chest,  but  always  at  this  point  they 
have  been  frightened  away  by  an  awful  voice  calling 
out  from  the  depths  of  the  vault,  "  Don't  come  here ! " 


otite  Okrat 


At  Yejefors  forge,  up  near  the  northern  frontier, 
there  was,  many  years  ago,  a  charcoal  burner  who. 
however  vigilant  he  might  be,  always  had  to  rebuild 

*From  Norway  we  have  a  similar  story,  by  Faye,  Norske  Folkesagn, 
which  relates  that  a  wood  nymph  one  time  attended  a  dance,  where  she 
had  as  partner  a  young  man,  who,  when  he  observed  the  bushy  append- 
age, said  genteelly,  "  My  beautiful  lady,  you  are  losing  your  garter,"  which 
so  pleased  the  nymph  that  she  rewarded  him  bountifully  with  gold  and 
other  riches. 

147 


148  VEKMLAND. 

and  burn  his  stacks.  Now,  the  wood  was  not  burned 
enough,  again,  poorly  burned,  and  a  thousand  an- 
noyances pursued  him  in  his  work. 

One  evening,  as  he  sat  in  his  hut  mending  his  tools, 
a  beautiful  maiden  entered,  and,  complaining  that  she 
was  almost  frozen,  asked  permission  to  warm  herself  at 
the  fire. 

The  coal  burner,  who  had  been  long  in  the  woods, 
understood  at  once  that  his  visitor  was  a  wood  nymph, 
beautiful  and  enchanting  when  seen  face  to  face,  but, 
when  seen  behind,  is  adorned  with  a  bushy  fox  tail. 

When  she  had  warmed  herself  in  front  awhile,  she 
turned  her  back  to  the  fire,  and  the  coal  burner  was 
given  an  opportunity  to  see  the  tail,  whereupon,  with 
unexpected  courtesy,  he  addressed  his  guest ; 

"Miss,  look  out  for  your  train,  please !" 

That  nice  name  for  her  troublesome  appendage  won 
the  Troll  woman's  affections,  and  from  that  day  every- 
thing went  admirably  with  the  coal  burner. 


aruesters. 


In  the  parish  of  Eksharad  lies  a  mountain,  Sa'lje- 
berg,  which  was  formerly  the  dwelling  place  of  Trolls 
and  giants,  now  exterminated. 

Near  the  mountain  dwelt  a  farmer,  on  one  of  the 
best  farms  in  the  parish.  One  summer  evening  he  went 
over  his  fields  admiring  the  seas  of  golden  grain  and 
exulting  at  the  abundant  harvest  promised  him. 

u  God  be  praised  for  this  crop,"  said  he.  "  If  I  now 
could  have  all  these  fields  harvested  by  early  morning 
I  Avould  give  my  best  cow." 

Hereupon  he  returned  to  his  home  and  went  to  bed. 
Through  the  whole  night  the  noise  of  reaping  was 
heard  in  the  fields  and  the  Trolls  calling : 

"  Make  bands  and  bind ;  let  the  farmer  dry  it 
himself." 

As  soon  as  sunrise  the  farmer  was  upon  his  feet  and 
out  into  the  fields,  where,  to  his  indescribable  amaze- 
ment, he  saw  them  reaped  and  the  grain  lying  in  bundles 
upon  the  ground.  Guessing  that  the  Trolls  had  had  a 
hand  in  the  work,  he  sprang  to  the  stable,  there  to  find 
a  stall  empty  and  his  best  cow  gone. 


U9 


Atones. 


In  the  peak  of  Mount  Garphytte,  one  of  the  many 
mountain  tops  that  raise  themselves  over  Kilseberger, 
dwelt,  in  former  days,  a  giant  named  Kise. 

One  morning,  as  he  went  from  his  grotto  out  into 


150 


NARIKE.  Ifcl 

the  day,  a  strange  sound,  which  caused  him  to  pause, 
greeted  his  ear.  He  listened  for  some  time,  then  re- 
turned into  the  mountain  and  called  his  wife. 

"  Put  the  smallest  of  those  stones  that  lie  upon  the 
peak  into  your  garter  and  sling  it  at  that  gray  cow 
that  goes  tinkling  along  down  there  03^  Iljelmaren !  " 
said  he,  meaning  the  new  church  just  completed  at 
Orebro,  whose  bells  were  that  morning  ringing  for  the 
first  time  in  the  service  of  the  Lord. 

The  giantess,  as  she  was  commanded,  took  a  stone 
as  large  as  a  house  and  threw  it  at  the  church,  some 
eight  or  ten  miles  distant. 

u  That  was  a  poor  throw,"  said  the  giant,  when  the 
stone  fell  down  on  the  plain  of  Rumbo.  u  Bring  here 
the  band ;  you  shall  see  a  throw  that  will  do  its  work," 
whereupon  he  adjusted  a  monstrous  stone  in  his 
wife's  garter,  and,  swinging  it  a  few  times  through 
the  air,  let  it  go  with  all  his  power  toward  the  new 
church. 

"  Great  in  command,  but  little  in  power,"  said  the 
giant  woman,  when  the  stone  fell  upon  the  one  she 
had  thrown,  and  was  broken  into  a  thousand  pieces. 

At  the  same  time  the  bell  rung  out  with  wonderful 
clearness.  Furious  with  rage,  he  tore  up  two  large 
stones,  took  one  under  each  arm,  and  set  out  for 
Orebro.  Intelligence  having  reached  the  residents  of 
Orebro  that  the  giant  was  coming,  consternation  was 
general  and  good  advice  dear. 

Finally,  an  old  man  undertook  to  save  the  church. 
In  great  haste  he  gathered  up  all  the  worn-out  shoes 
he  could  find,  put  them  in  a  sack,  and  set  out  to  meet 


152  NARIKE. 

the  giant.  At  Ulfgryt,  in  Toby,  he  met  the  giant,  who 
was  anything  but  gentle  in  appearance. 

"How  far  is  it  to  Orebro?'*  asked  Rise. 

"  I  can't  say  exactly,"  answered  the  old  man,  in  an 
innocent  manner,  "  but  it  is  long  a  way,  you  will  find, 
for  it  is  seven  years  since  I  left  there,  and  I  have  worn 
out  all  these  shoes  on  the  way." 

"  Then  let  him  who  will,  go  there,  but  I  will  not," 
said  the  giant,  and  threw  the  stones  from  him  to 
the  ground  with  such  force  that  they  rang  as  they 
struck  it. 

The  stones  lie  there  by  the  roadside  even  to-day, 
but  the  most  remarkable  circumstance  is  that  they 
turn  over  whenever  the  church  bells  in  Orebro  are 
rung. 


!Ux80a 


In  the  last  years  of  the  fourteenth  century  there 
lived  in  Strengnas,  the  well-known  bishop,  Konrad 
Rugga,  or  Bishop  Cort,  as  he  was  called  by  the  people. 
Holding  his  office  at  a  time  when  the  glory  of  Papacy 
was  at  its  height,  it  is  natural  that  his  power  was  great 
and  influence  unusual.  Yet  tradition  has  not  been 
content  with  this,  but  has  magnified  his  endowments 
to  the  almost  supernatural. 

In  order  to  maintain  discipline  and  order  in  his 
bishopric  he  was  wont  to  travel  from  place  to  place 
in  his  diocese,  always  visiting  in  these  journeys  the 
convent  of  Riseberga. 

During  one  of  these  official  tours  he  purchased  in 
Tangerosa,  three  small  farms,  and  made  of  them  a 
large  domain,  which  he  improved  and  called  Trystorp  — 
three  farms — but  from  Eiseberga  to  Trystorp  it  is  a 
long  distance,  and  as  the  Bishop  was  not  unskilled  in 
constructing  underground  ways  —  he  having  already 
completed  one  such  under  the  Malar  from  Strengnas  to 
his  residence,  Tynnelso — he  tunneled  a  passage  from 
the  monastery  to  Trystorp  under  Logsjo.  For  the 

*  Bishop  Konrad  Rugge,  who  plays  a  part  in  this  story,  belonged  to  the 
old  Kyle  family  and  was  born  in  Stockholm.  After  he  had  studied  in  for- 
eign high  schools,  he  was,  upon  his  return  to  Sweden,  first  canon,  :and  later 
archdeacon  in  Upsala  Cathedral.  In  the  year  1480  he  was  chosen  bishop  of 
Strengnas,  which  office  he  entered  upon  on  the  3d  of  April,  1501.  In  'the 
Cathedral  of  Strengnas,  even  now,  a  small  cell  is  shown,  which  is  said  to 
have  been  his  treasure  vault,  and  where  his  prayer-book,  shoes  and  other 
relics  may  still  be  seen. 

153 


154  NAKIKE. 

public  he  built  a  road  above  ground,  which  is  the 
same  that  now  leads  to  Trystorp  around  the  north 
shore  of  -Logsjo. 

Over  a  stream,  or  at  that  time  a  little  river,  which, 
just  below  Riseberga,  runs  from  the  south  in  a  north- 
erly course,  he  built  a  substantial  bridge  of  sandstone. 
The  bridge  is  even  to-day  called  Rugga's  bridge  or 
more  commonly  Ruggebro. 

Not  long  after  the  death  of  Bishop  Cort  the  Papal 
power  was  forced  to  yield  in  Sweden  to  the  doctrines 
of  Luther  and  Riseberga  to  share  the  fate  of  other 
convents  in  the  land. 

It  was  now  determined  to  move  one  of  the  bells  of 
the  convent  to  Edsberg,  where  it  was  to  call  the  people 
together  to  hear  the  new  message  of  truth.  But  the 
Bishop's  powerful  spirit  seemed  even  now  to  be  present 
on  earth,  for  when  they  who  bore  the  bell  reached  the 
middle  of  Ruggebro,  the  burden  was  overthrown  by 
an  unseen  ha.nd  into  the  creek,  where  it  disappeared. 

Many  have  since  seen  the  bell,  and  one  and  another 
have  even  succeeded  in  raising  it  half  way  out  of  the 
water,  but  it  has  always  escaped  and  sunk  back  into 
the  creek  bed,  scoffing  at  the  weakness  of  the  covetous 
laborers. 


The  inhabitants  of  Niirike   have  many  stories  to 
relate  about  an  apparition,  called  Kate  of  Ysatter,  that 

155 


156  NAKIKE. 

in  olden  times  dwelt  in  Oster  Narike's  forests,  but 
chiefly  in  the  swamps  of  Ysatter,  in  the  parish  of 
Asker. 

-  According  to  the  belief  of  the  old  people,  she  ex- 
isted through  many  generations,  although  she  usually 
made  her  appearance  as  a  young  girl  beautifully  clad, 
and  possessing  a  head  of  hair  of  extraordinary  length. 
She  was  often  seen  by  hunters  sitting  upon  a  stump, 
combing  her  hair  which  reached  to  the  ground.  Those 
who  went  to  the  swamps  to  wash  their  clothes  some- 
times saw  her  at  a  little  distance  also  washing  gar- 
ments which  were  of  an  unusual  whiteness.  To  ugly 
old  women  she  was  always  a  terror,  and  it  seemed  to 
be  a  pleasure  to  her  to  mimic  them  by  keeping  time 
with  their  motions,  but  whenever  she  showed  her- 
self it  was  for  a  few  seconds  only,  and  should  one  turn 
his  eyes  from  her,  however  little,  she  was  gone. 

In  Oster  Narike,  the  routes  she  took  were  shown, 
and  many  complaints  were  heard  that  she  trampled 
the  grain  down  in  her  constant  journeys  back  and 
forth.  Often,  especially  in  the  night  time,  her  awful 
laugh  was  heard  from  her  perch  on  a  tree  or  top  of  a 
rock,  when  she  succeeded  in  alluring  some  one  from 
his  path,  caused  him  to  fall  with  his  load,  or  break 
his  harness.  Her  laugh  was  like  a  magpie's,  and 
caused  the  blood  of  one  helpless  against  her  pranks  to 
stand  still 

Others  who  endeavored  to  stand  well  with  her  she 
assisted  in  many  instances.  "  She  has  gone,  the  light- 
ning has  killed  her  as  the  others,"  say  the  old  people., 
not  yet  won  over  to  the  skepticism  of  the  present  time. 


NAEIKE.  157 


Among  those  who  enjoyed  her  special  favor  was  a 
hunter,  Bottorpa  Lasse.  He  was  such  a  skillful  shot 
that  if  only  he  stepped  out  upon  the  porch  and  called  a 
bird,  or  drew  the  picture  of  an  animal  upon  the  wall 
of  the  barn,  the  game  he  wished  was  brought  within 
range  of  his  gun. 

One  time  Lasse  invited  his  neighbors  to  accompany 
him  on  a  hunt,  and,  expecting  to  bag  an  abundance  of 
game,  the}?-  were  not  slow  to  accept  the  invitation. 
They  betook  themselves  in  the  evening  to  the  woods, 
where  they  found  shelter  in  a  coal  burner's  hut,  and 
prepared  to  begin  the  hunt  early  in  the  morning. 

Along  in  the  night  Kate  entered  the  hut,  and  re- 
quested the  hunters  to  show  her  their  guns.  She  first 
examined  those  of  the  hunter's  neighbors,  but  soon 
returned  them,  exclaiming,  "  Fie  ! "  She  then  took 
Lasse's  gun,  blew  down  the  barrel,  examined  the  prim- 
ing and  handed  it  back  exclaiming,  "  Good,  good,  my 
boy  ! "  What  this  signified  was  soon  manifested,  when 
Lasse  secured  a  fine  lot  of  game  and  the  others  did  not 
so  much  as  get  a  shot. 

It  is  further  related  of  Kate  of  Ysatter,  that  at  the 
burning  of  the  clock  tower  of  Asker,  in  the  year  1750, 
when  even  the  church  was  in  flames  and  in  great  dan- 
ger of  destruction,  Kate  was  seen  standing  on  the  roof, 
opposing  their  progress. 

The  last  time  she  made  her  presence  known  was  at 
a  harvest  gathering  in  the  fields  of  Ysatter.  The  har- 
vesters had  ceased  labor  to  eat  their  luncheon,  and 
when  they  had  eaten  themselves  into  a  good  humor, 
engaging  in  conversation,  which  turned  upon  Kate,  a 


158  NAEIKE. 

young  man  declared  he  would  like  nothing  better  than 
to  catch  her  and  give  her  a  good  whipping  for  the  vex- 
ations she  had  produced  in  the  world.  Instantly  a  ter- 
rific crash  was  heard  in  an  enclosure  near  by,  and  the 
youth  received  a  blow  in  the  face  that  caused  the  blood 
to  gush  from  mouth  and  nose  over  the  food  of  the 
others,  changing  their  butter  to  blood.  It  was  after 
this  thought  wise  to  say  as  little  and  to  have  as  little 
as  possible  to  do  with  Kate  of  Ysatter. 


Upon  the  marshy  oak  and  linden  covered  island 
of  Sor,  when  the  grass  starts  forth  in  the  spring,  are 


160  NARIKE. 

to  be  seen,  here  and  there,  circles  of  a  deeper  green 
than  the  surrounding  grass,  which  the  people  say  mark 
the  places  where  Elves  have  had  their  ring  dances. 

While  the  provost,  Lille  Strale,  was  pastor  of  the 
parish  church,  a  servant  was  sent  out  late  one  evening 
to  bring  a  horse  in  from  a  pasture.  Plodding  along 
as  best  he  could  in  the  darkness,  he  had  not  gone  far 
when  it  was  discovered  that  he  had  lost  his  way,  and, 
turn  which  way  he  would,  he  could  not  find  the  sought 
for  meadow. 

Exhausted  at  last  by  constant  walking,  he  sat  down 
at  the  foot  of  an  oak  to  rest  himself.  Presently  strains 
of  lovely  music  reached  his  ears,  and  he  saw,  quite 
near,  a  multitude  of  little  people  engaged  in  a  lively 
ring  dance  upon  the  sward.  So  light  were  their  foot- 
steps that  the  tops  of  the  grass  blades  were  scarcely 
moved. 

In  the  middle  of  the  ring  stood  the  Elf  Queen  her- 
self, taller  and  more  beautiful  than  the  others,  with  a 
golden  crown  upon  her  head  and  her  clothes  sparkling 
in  the  moonlight  with  gold  and  precious  stones. 

Beckoning  to  him,  she  said :  "  Corne,  Anders,  and 
tread  a  dance  with  me!"  and  Anders,  thinking  it 
would  be  impolite  not  to  comply  with  the  request  of  a 
woman  so  beautiful,  rose  and  stepped  bowing  into 
the  ring. 

Poor  lad,  he  did  not  know  what  a  fate  awaited  him 
who  ventured  to  participate  in  the  sports  of  the  Elves. 
How  the  dance  terminated  is  not  known,  but  at  its 
conclusion  the  young  man  found  himself  again  under 
the  oak,  and  from  that  hour  he  was  never  again  wholly 


NARIKE.  161 


himself.  From  being  the  most  lively  and  cheerful  young 
man  in  the  village,  he  became  the  dullest  and  most 
melancholy,  and,  before  the  year  had  gone,  his  days 
were  ended. 


atui  Jpe  Sea 


Many  years  ago  a  dancing  society  of  Brasta,  a  vil- 
lage in  the  parish  of  Stora  Mellosa,  planned  a  great 
Christmas  festival,  to  which,  on  the  appointed  day,  old 
and  young  flocked  from  far  and  near,  knowing  that 
Sexton  Kant,  of  Norrbyas,  would  be  there  with  his  fid- 
dle, and  assured  that  fun  would  run  riot.  Kant,  it  is 
related,  was  no  ordinary  fiddler,  not  a  little  proud  of  his 
skill,  and  ready  at  the  least  word  of  praise  to  laud  him- 
self to  the  skies. 

When  the  merry  making  had  gone  well  into  the 
night  and  the  pleasures  were  at  their  height,  some  one 
remarked  that  not  many  could  measure  themselves 
with  Father  Kant,  when  he  let  the  bow  leap  over  the 
strings  and  played  in  "  four  voices,"  as  he  himself 
called  it.  Nothing  further  was  needed.  Kant,  always 
ready  to  begin  where  the  others  left  off,  declared  that 
the  devil,  good  player  as  he  was  reputed  to  be,  could 
not  compete  with  him  in  the  waltz  which  they  had 
just  heard.  This  boast  came  near  costing  Kant  dear. 
When  the  dance  ended  and  he  set  out  in  the  night 
on  his  way  home,  he  met,  near  the  hill  of  Bjurbacka,  a 
young  woman  clad  in  white,  who  saluted  him  and  ad- 
dressed him  as  follows : 

"If  you  will  play  a  polka  for  me,  Father  Kant, 
I  will  dance  for  you." 

So  said,  so  done.  Father  Kant  sat  himself  upon 
a  stone  and  applied  the  bow  to  the  strings  of  the 

163 


NARIKE.  163 

instrument.  Instantly  he  lost  all  control  of  himself. 
Such  a  polka  as  now  came  from  his  fiddle  he  had  never 
expected  to  hear,  much  less  play.  The  tones  seemed 
to  come  without  help  from  him.  The  bow  bounded 
over  the  strings  and  his  arm  was  forced  to  follow. 
One  melody  followed  another  ;  his  arm  became  numb, 
but  the  music  continued  in  the  same  wild  measure. 

Kant  now  understood  that  something  was  wrong. 
Finally  he  burst  forth : 

"  God  forgive  me,  poor  sinner.  What  have  I 
brought  upon  myself?" 

Upon  the  instant  the  fiddle  strings  parted,  and  an 
awful-sounding  laugh  was  heard  from  the  brook  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill.  Heavy  of  heart,  Kant  hastened  home- 
ward, acknowledging  to  himself  that  the  devil,  after 
all,  was  his  superior.  For  a  long  time  he  could  not-  be 
persuaded  to  again  take  up  his  fiddle,  but,  when  he 
finally  complied,  he  found  that  one  of  the  beautiful 
waltzes  he  had  played  on  the  eventful  night  had  fast- 
ened itself  upon  his  memory,  and  he  acquired  greater 
renown  than  before  as  a  fiddler. 


The  snipe,  as  is  well  known,  is  a  bird  which  in- 
habits low,  marshy  meadows,  and  which,  in  flight, 

164 


VESTERMANLAND.  165 

makes  a  noise  with  its  wings  not  unlike  the  neighing 
of  a  horse. 

A  farmer,  who  himself  never  looked  after  his  prop- 
erty, had  in  his  employ  a  lazy  and  negligent  servant. 
One  dry  summer  the  man  rode  his  master's  horse, 
many  days  in  succession,  to  a  pasture  where  there  was 
no  water,  without  first  giving  it  drink,  as  he  had 
been  instructed.  So  the  poor  animal  was  thus  left  to 
suffer  through  the  long  dry  period. 

It  happened  one  day  that  the  farmer  would  go  to 
the  city,  and  commanded  the  servant  to  fetch  the 
horse  from  the  pasture.  The  man  went,  but  search 
where  he  would,  no  horse  could  be  found.  The  servant 
not  returning  in  season,  his  master  set  out  after  him, 
but  neither  could  he  find  the  animal.  It  had  disap- 
peared from  the  pasture  completely,  and  was  not 
found  again. 

Some  days  later,  when  the  farmer  was  again  out, 
continuing  the  search,  to  his  surprise  he  heard  a  neigh- 
ing in  the  air.  Soon  after  he  observed  his  horse,  as 
he  supposed,  standing  and  drinking  in  an  adjoining 
meadow.  "  Are  you  there,  Gralle  ? "  cried  the  farmer, 
and  hastened  to  catch  the  horse.  His  shout  was  an- 
swered with  a  neigh. 

Gralle,  Gralle,  my  boy ! "  continued  the  farmer,  in 
persuasive  tones  and  was  about  to  grasp  the  halter, 
when  the  horse  was  transformed  into  a  bird,  which, 
with  another  neigh,  flew  into  the  air. 

From  that  day  the  farmer  took  care  of  his  own 
horses,  and  before  all  else  he  saw  to  it  that  they  did  not 
want  for  water  when  they  went  to  pasture. 


©astle  mud  fptnta 


At  Tibbie,  in  the  parish  of  Bedelunda,  there  stood, 
in  former  days,  so  it  is  said,  a  castle,  of  which  the  most 
careful  search  fails  to  reveal  any  remnant  now. 

In  the  castle  dwelt  a  lady  of  royal  descent,  with 
her  young  and  beautiful  daughter.  One  day  there 
came  to  it  a  prince,  who  was  received  with  great  pomp, 
and  it  was  not  long  until  an  ardent  love  had  sprung  up 
between  the  young  people.  Knowing  that  many  eyes 
were  upon  them,  keeping  expressions  in  check,  they 
agreed  to  meet  each  other  on  a  certain  night  at 
Klinta  Spring,  situated  south  of  the  castle  near  Klinta 
Mountain. 

Late  in  the  evening,  when  all  its  inhabitants  were 
asleep,  and  it  had  become  quiet  in  the  castle,  the  young- 
lady  crept  quietly  from  her  room  clown  to  the  castle 
gate,  but  the  porter  refused  to  open  it  for  her.  Think- 
ing gold  might  persuade  him,  she  drew  from  her  hand 
a  ring  which  she  tendered  him,  but  he  was  not  so 
easily  bribed.  Then  she  took  a  gold  chain  from  her 
neck,  proffering  it  with  the  ring  ;  such  a  temptation  the 
old  man  could  not  resist,  and  quietly  allowed  her  to 
pass,  with  the  condition  that  she  should  return  before 
dawn. 

When  she  arrived  at  the  spring  she  thought  she  saw 
the  prince  sitting  upon  a  stone  near  by,  and,  approach- 
ing him,  she  threw  herself  into  his  arms.  But,  instead 
of  that  of  her  lover,  she  found  herself  in  the  embrace 


VESTERMANLAND.  167 

of  the  Mountain  King  of  Klinta  Mountain,,  who  lifted 
her  up  and  bore  her  into  the  mountain.  Before  reach- 
ing the  interior  of  the  mountain,  however,  she  suc- 
ceeded in  slipping  the  crown  he  wore  from  the  giant's 
head  and  hanging  it,  as  she  passed,  upon  the  branch  of 
a  pine  tree  so  that  the  prince  could  see  that  she  had 
kept  her  appointment. 

When  they  reached  the  inside  of  the  mountain,  the 
giant  laid  the  young  woman  carefully  down  upon  the 
"star  spread"  in  his  chamber,  where  she  fell  asleep, 
after  which  he  went  to  his  mother  and  told  her  what  a 
beautiful  discovery  he  had  made.  Meantime  the  prince 
came  to  the  spring.  When  he  failed  to  find  his  mistress 
there  he  walked  around  the  meadow  and  came,  finally, 
to  the  mountain,  where  his  attention  was  attracted  to 
the  crown  hanging  in  the  tree.  He  now  understood 
what  had  happened,  and  in  anguish  drew  his  sword 
and  pierced  his  body  with  it.  When  the  young  woman 
awoke,  the  giant  woman  commanded  her  son  to  carry 
her  back  to  the  spring.  "  But,"  added  she,  "  before 
you  reach  there  three  lives  will  have  been  forfeited." 

And  so  it  happened.  While  the  giant  was  carrying 
the  young  woman  to  the  spring  she  breathed  her  last 
and  was  laid  by  the  giant  at  the  side  of  the  prince. 
Meanwhile  the  porter,  in  remorse  over  his  deed,  had 
thrown  himself  from  the  tower,  and  thus  ended  his 
days. 

The  prince  and  his  love  were  laid  upon  a  golden 
wagon  and  conveyed  to  a  beautiful  green  meadow  on 
an  eminence  near  Gryta  and  there  interred.  Even  the 
wagon  and  sword  were  buried  in  the  mound,  which 


168  VESTERMANLAND. 

every  spring  is  surrounded  by  a  hedge  of  white,  blooming 
bird  cherry,  but  both  wagon  and  sword  shall,  in  time, 
be  dug  up,  when  he  who  is  first  to  see  the  latter  shall 
receive  his  mortal  wound  therefrom. 


On  a  point  which  shoots  out  into  the  northwest 
corner  of  Lake  Kasvalen,  in  the  region  of  Linde,  lived, 
in  days  past,  a  coal  burner  named  Nils.  His  little  gar- 
den patch  was  left  to  a  servant  boy  to  care  for,  while 

169 


170  VESTERMAJtfLAND. 

he  dwelt  always  in  the  forest,  chopping  coal-wood 
during  the  summer  and  burning  it  in  the  winter.  How- 
ever he  toiled,  nothing  but  bad  luck  was  returned  to 
him,  and,  leading  all  other  subjects,  poor  Nils  was  the 
talk  of  the  village  where  his  home  was. 

One  day  when  he  was  constructing  a  stack  of  wood 
for  burning,  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake  near  the  dark 
Harg  Mountain,  a  strange  woman  came  to  him  and 
asked  him  if  he  needed  help  in  his  work. 

"  Yes,  indeed;  it  would  be  good  to  have  some  assist- 
ance," answered  Nils,  whereupon  the  woman  began 
to  carry  logs  and  wood  much  faster  than  Nils  could 
draw  with  his  horse,  so  that  by  noon  the  material  was 
on  the  ground  for  a  new  stack.  When  evening  came 
she  asked  Nils  what  he  thought  of  her  day's  work,  and 
if  she  might  come  again  next  day. 

The  coal  burner  could  not  well  say  no,  so  she  re- 
turned the  following  day,  and  daily  thereafter.  When 
the  stack  was  burned  she  assisted  him  with  the  draw- 
ing, and  never  before  had  Nils  had  so  much  nor  so 
good  coal  as  that  time. 

Thus  the  woman  remained  with  him  in  the  forest  three 
years,  during  which  time  she  became  the  mother  of  three 
children,  but  this  did  not  bother  the  coal  burner,  for  she 
took  care  of  them  so  that  he  had  no  trouble  from  them. 

When  the  fourth  year  had  been  entered  upon  she 
began  to  be  more  presuming,  and  demanded  that  he 
take  her  home  with  him  and  make  her  his  wife.  This 
Nils  did  not  like,  but,  as  she  was  very  useful  to  him 
in  the  coal  forest,  he  was  careful  not  to  betray  his 
thoughts,  and  said  he  would  think  over  the  matter. 


VESTERMANLAND.  171 

One  day  he  went  to  church,  where  he  had  not  been 
for  many  years,  and  what  he  heard  there  set  him  to 
thinking  as  he  had  not  thought  since  he  was  an  inno- 
cent child.  He  began  to  reflect  whether  he  had  not 
made  a  misstep,  and  if  it  might  not  be  a  Troll  woman 
who  had  so  willingly  lent  him  her  company  and  help. 

Involved  in  these  and  similar  thoughts,  returning 
to  his  forest  home,  he  forgot  that  he  had  made  an  agree- 
ment with  the  strange  woman  when  she  first  entered 
his  service,  that  always  upon  his  arrival,  and  before 
approaching  the  stack,  he  would  strike  three  times  with 
an  ax  against  an  old  pine  tree  standing  a  little  way 
from  the  coal  kiln.  On  he  went,  when  suddenly 
there  burst  upon  his  sight  a  scene  that  nearly  took  his 
wits  from  him.  As  he  neared  the  stack  he  discovered 
it  in  bright  flames,  and  around  it  stood  the  mother  and 
her  three  children  drawing  the  coal.  They  drew  and 
slacked  so  that  fire,  smoke  and  sparks  filled  the  air  high 
toward  the  heavens,  but  instead  of  pine  branches, 
ordinarily  used  for  slacking,  they  had  bushy  tails,  with 
which,  after  dipping  them  in  the  snow,  they  beat 
the  fire. 

When  Nils  had  contemplated  this  awhile,  he  crept 
stealthily  back  to  the  pine  whose  trunk  he  made 
echo  lay  three  blows  from  his  ax,  so  that  it  was 
heard  far  away  at  Harg  Mountain.  Thereupon  he 
went  forward  to  the  stack  as  if  he  had  seen  nothing, 
and  now  every  thing  was  as  he  was  accustomed  to  see 
it.  The  stack  burned  steadily  and  well,  and  the  woman 
went  about  her  duties  as  usual. 

When  the  woman  saw  Nils  again,  she  renewed  her 


172  VESTERMANLAND. 

appeals  to  be  allowed  to  go  to  his  home  with  him  and 
become  his  wife. 

"  Yes,  the  matter  shall  be  settled  now,"  said  Nils, 
consolingly,  and  departed  for  home,  ostensibly  to  fetch 
his  horse,  but  he  went  instead  to  Kallernas,  on  the  east 
shores  of  the  lake,  where  lived  a  wise  old  man,  whom 
he  asked  what  course  to  pursue  to  free  himself  from 
the  dilemma.  The  old  man  advised  him  to  go  home 
and  hitch  his  horse  to  the  coal  cart,  but  so  harness  that 
no  loops  should  be  found  in  the  reins  or  harness.  Then 
he  should  ride  over  the  ice  on  the  back  of  the  horse ; 
turn  at  the  coal-kiln  without  pausing ;  shout  to  the 
Troll  woman  and  children  to  get  into  the  cart;  and 
drive  briskly  to  the  ice  again. 

The  coal  burner,  following  the  instructions,  harnessed 
his  horse  and  saw  to  it  carefully  that  there  was  no  loop 
upon  the  reins  or  harness,  rode  over  the  ice,  up  into  the 
woods  to  the  kiln  and  called  to  the  woman  and  her 
children  to  jump  in,  at  the  same  time  heading  for  the 
ice  and  putting  his  horse  to  the  best  possible  speed. 
When  he  reached  the  middle  of  the  lake,  he  saw,  run- 
ning toward  him  from  the  wilderness,  a  large  pack  of 
wolves,  whereupon  he  let  slip  the  harness  from  the 
shafts,  so  that  the  cart  and  its  contents  were  left 
standing  on  the  slippery  ice,  and  rode  as  fast  as  the 
horse  could  carry  him  straight  to  the  other  shore. 
When  the  Troll  saw  the  wolves  she  began  to  call  and 
beg.  "Come  back!  come  back!"  she  shrieked.  "If 
you  will  not  do  it  for  my  sake,  do  it  for  your  youngest 
daughter,  Yipa  ! "  But  Nils  continued  his  way  toward 
the  shore.  Then  he  heard  the  Trolls  calling  one  to 


VESTEBMANLAND.  173 

the  other,  "  Brother  in  Harsberg,  sister  in  Stripa,  and 
cousin  in  "Ringshallen,  catch  hold  of  the  loops  and 
pull!"  "He  has  no  loop,"  came  a  reply  from  the 
depths  of  Harsberg. 

"  Catch  him  at  Harkallarn,  then." 

"  He  does  not  ride  in  that  direction,"  came  from 
Ringshallen,  and  Nils  did  not  go  that  way,  but  over 
fields,  stones  and  roads  straight  to  his  home,  where  he 
had  only  arrived  when  the  horse  fell  dead,  and  a  Troll 
shot  came  and  tore  away  the  corner  of  the  stable. 

Nils,  himself,  fell  ill  shortly  after,  and  was  confined 
to  his  bed  many  weeks.  "When  he  recovered  his 
health  he  sold  his  cabin  in  the  forest,  and  cultivated 
the  few  acres  around  his  cottage  until  the  end  of  his 
days.  Thus  the  Trolls  were  once  caught  napping. 


One  evening,  a  long  time 
ago,  a  little  girl  went  up  through 
the  forest  to  Bolstre  Castle  in 
search  of  some  sheep  that  had 
gone  astray. 

Keaching  the  inside  of  the 
walls,  the  little  girl  was  met  by 

174 


VESTERMANLAND.  175 

an  old  woman,  clothed  in  a  red  skirt  and  a  gray  head 
covering,  who  gave  into  her  possession  a  box,  and  com- 
manded her  to  take  care  of  it  while  she  went  to  invite 
a  number  of  her  friends  to  become  guests  at  her  daugh- 
ter's wedding. 

The  girl  was  so  frightened  that  she  did  not  dare  to 
refuse  the  charge,  and,  taking  the  box,  sat  down  upon 
a  stone  to  wait  the  woman's  return.  When  she  had 
thus  sat  a  long  time  she  heard  a  bird  twittering  over 
her  head  in  a  tree,  and  looking  up,  two  leaves  fell  from 
the  tree  in  such  manner  as  to  form  a  cross  upon  the 
box,  whereupon  the  cover  instantly  flew  open  and 
revealed  its  contents  —  a  bridal  crown  of  shining  gold 
and  many  other  costly  'jewels. 

The  girl  waited  long  and  patiently,  but  the  old 
woman  did  not  return,  so,  finally  she  set  out  on  her 
way  home,  taking  with  her  the  jewel  casket.  But 
blessings  do  not  go  with  Troll  property.  No  bride 
would  wear  the  crown,  it  was  so  fine,  and  the  girl  soon 
after  lost  her  lover.  Now  that  it  was  clear  to  every 
one  that  a  Troll's  gold  brought  only  misfortune  upon 
the  household,  it  was  carried  back  to  the  castle  and 
buried  in  the  ground,  where  it  surely  lies  to-day. 


Every  intelligent  grandmother  knows  that  the  fire 
must  not  be  allowed  to  go  out  in  a  room,  where  there 
is  a  child  not  yet  christened  ;  that  the  water  in  which 
the  new-born  child  is  washed  should  not  be  thrown 
out ;  also,  that  a  needle,  or  some  other  article  of  steel 
must  be  attached  to  its  bandages.  If  attention  is  not 
paid  to  these  precautions  it  may  happen  that  the  child 
will  be  exchanged  by  the  Trolls,  as  once  occurred  in 
Bettna  many  years  ago. 

A  young  peasant's  wife  had  given  birth  to  her  first 
child.  Her  mother,  who  lived  some  distance  away, 
was  on  hand  to  officiate  in  the  first  duties  attending 
its  coming,  but  the  evening  before  the  day  on  which 
the  child  should  be  christened  she  was  obliged  to  go 
home  for  a  short  time  to  attend  to  the  wants  of  her 
own  family,  and  during  her  absence  the  fire  was 
allowed  to  go  out. 

No  one  would  have  noticed  anything  unusual,  per- 
haps, if  the  child  had  not,  during  the  baptism,  cried 
like  a  fiend.  After  some  weeks,  however,  the  parents 
began  to  observe  a  change.  It  became  ugly,  cried 
continuously  and  was  so  greedy  that  it  devoured  every- 
thing that  came  in  its  way.  The  people  being  poor,  they 
were  in  great  danger  of  being  eaten  out  of  house  and 
home.  There  could  no  longer  be  any  doubt  that  the 
child  was  a  "  changeling."  Whereupon  the  husband 
sought  a  wise  old  woman,  who,  it  was  said,  could 

'    176 


SODERMANLAND.  177 

instruct  the  parents  what  to  do  to  get  back  their 
own  child. 

The  mother  was  directed  to  build  a  fire  in  the  bake 
oven  three  Thursday  evenings  in  succession,  lay  the 
young  one  upon  the  bake  shovel,  then  pretend  that 
she  was  about  to  throw  it  into  the  fire.  The  advice 
was  followed,  and  when  the  woman,  the  third  evening, 
was  in  the  act  of  throwing  the  changeling  into  the  fire, 
it  seemed,  a  little  deformed,  evil-eyed  woman  rushed  up 
with  the  natural  child,  threw  it  in  the  crib  and  requested 
the  return  of  her  child.  "For,"  said  she,  "I  have 
never  treated  your  child  so  badly  and  I  have  never 
thought  to  do  it  such  harm  as  you  now  propose  doing 
mine,"  whereupon  she  took  the  unnatural  child  and 
vanished  through  the  door. 

Another  changeling  story,  but  with  less  unfortunate 
consequences,  is  told  in  Sodermanland. 

A  resident  of  Vingakir,  who  made  frequent  trips 
to  Nykoping  with  loads  of  flour,  was  in  the  habit  of 
halting  for  the  night  at  the  house  of  a  farmer  in  Verna. 
One  summer  night  he  arrived  later  than  usual,  and, 
as  the  people  were  already  in  bed  and  asleep,  the 
weather  being  pleasant,  he  did  not  wish  to  wake  any- 
one, so  unhitched  his  horse  from  the  wagon,  hitched 
him  to  a  hay  stack  and  laid  himself  under  the  wagon 
to  sleep. 

He  had  been  some  time  under  the  wagon,  yet 
awake,  when,  from  under  a  stone  near  by,  an  ugly, 
deformed  woman,  carrying  a  babe,  made  her  appear- 
ance. Looking  about  her  carefully,  she  laid  the  child 
on  the  stone  and  went  into  the  house.  In  a  short  time 


178  SODERMANLAND. 

she  returned,  bearing  another  child  ;  laid  it  upon  the 
stone,  and  taking  up  the  first  one,  returned  to  the 
house. 

The  man  observed  her  actions,  and  divining  their 
purpose,  crept  cautiously  from  his  resting  place  as  soon 
as  the  woman  had  disappeared  into  the  house,  took  the 
sleeping  child  and  hid  it  in  his  coat  under  the  wagon. 
When  the  Troll  returned  and  found  the  child  gone  she 
went  a  third  time  to  the  house,  from  which  she  re- 
turned with  the  child  she  had  just  carried  in,  where- 
upon she  disappeared  under  the  stone. 

The  traveler,  anxious  for  the  welfare  of  his  little 
charge,  which  had  in  such  an  extraordinary  manner 
fallen  into  his  hands,  could  not  close  his  eyes  for  the 
rest  of  the  night. 

As  soon  as  it  dawned  he  went  with  his  precious 
burden  to  the  house,  where  he  found  the  occupants  in 
great  consternation  over  the  disappearance  of  the 
child,  which,  as  may  be  presumed,  was  received  with 
great  rejoicing. 


What  is  now  the  country  seat  of 
Eriksberg,  with  its  castle-like  build- 
ings among  parks  and  gardens,  was 
once  an  estate  called  Pintorp,  upon 

*The  chief  character  in  this  narrative  is  the  wife 
of  President  and  Senator  Erik  Gyllerstierna,  Beata 
Vxkull,  to  whom  the  name  of  Lady  Pintorpa  is  given. 
As  far  as  can  be  judged  from  the  best  accounts  obtainable,  Lady  Beata  was 
a  woman  of  unusual  understanding,  decision  and  power.  It  is  quite  possible 

179 


180  SODERMANLAND. 

which  tradition  has  fixed  the  melancholy  story  of 
"  The  Lady  of  Pintorp." 

At  Pintorp,  so  goes  the  story,  lived  a  nobleman 
who,  at  his  death,  yet  a  young  man,  left  his  goods  and 
estates  to  his  widow.  Instead  of  proving  a  good  mis- 
tress to  her  numerous  dependents,  she  impoverished 
them  in  all  possible  ways  and  treated  them  with  the 
greatest  cruelty.  Under  the  castle  she  had  deep  cells, 
the  terrors  of  which,  on  the  slightest  provocation, 
many  a  poor  innocent  creature  was  made  to  experience. 
She  would  set  vicious  dogs  on  beggars  and  children, 
and  he  who  was  not  at  his  work  at  a  fixed  hour  could 
be  certain  that  he  would  go  home  in  the  evening  with 
his  back  well  lashed. 

Early  one  morning  the  Lady  of  Pintorp  stood  on 
the  castle  steps  watching  the  people  congregate  for  the 
day's  work.  Noticing  an  unfortunate  fellow  a  little 
behind  time,  she  flew  into  a  rage,  pouring  upon  him  a 
flood  of  abuse  and  curses,  and  in  punishment  com- 
manded him  to  fell  the  largest  oak  to  be  found  upon  the 
estate,  and  to  carry  it,  before  evening,  uncut,  top  fore- 
most, to  the  garden.  If  he  failed  to  execute  the  com- 
mand fully  and  punctually  he  was  to  be  mercilessly 
driven  from  the  estate  and  all  his  possessions  confiscated. 

that  in  her  exactions  and  treatment  of  her  servants  and  dependents  she  may 
have  sometimes  been  unreasonably  severe,  and  that  therefore  she  did  not 
command  their  love.  It  is  certain  that  the  stories  of  her  inhuman  conduct 
and  tragical  end  are  of  a  later  date  than  her  generation,  and  that  this  is  a 
localization  of  a  similar  German  legend. 

The  opinion  is  ever  hazarded  that  Beata  Yxkull  came  to  play  a  part 
in  this  gruesome  myth,  alone  because  of  the  name  of  the  estate,  Pintorp, 
which  our  uncritical  story-tellers  have  credulously  taken  for  granted,  was 
derived  from  Pina  — to  tease-  though  good  grounds  exist  for  the  belief 
that  the  estate  took  its  name  from  the  family  of  Pinaur,  who,  in  former 
days,  resided  thereon. 


SODERMANLAND.  181 

Pondering  over  his  sentence  the  man  went  to  the 
woods  where  he  met  an  old  man  who  inquired  why  he 
looked  so  sad. 

"  Because  I  am  done  for,  if  the  Lord  does  not  come 
to  my  aid,"  sighed  the  unfortunate  fellow,  and  in- 
formed the  old  man  what  a  task  his  mistress  had  puf 
upon  him. 

"  Don't  be  uneasy,"  said  the  stranger,  "  but  chop 
that  oak,  then  set  yourself  upon  the  trunk,  when  Erik 
Gyllerstierna  and  Svante  Baner  will  draw  it  to  the 
castle." 

The  peasant,  as  he  was  instructed,  began  to  cut  the 
tree,  which  fell  with  a  great  crash  at  the  third  blow  of 
his  ax.  Taking  his  seat  upon  the  trunk,  the  tree  at  once 
began  to  move  as  if  drawn  by  horses.  The  speed  was 
soon  so  great  that  opposing  fences  and  gates  were 
brushed  aside  like  straws,  and  in  a  short  time  the  oak  had 
arrived  at  the  designated  spot  in  the  castle  yard.  Just  as 
the  tree  top  struck  the  castle  gate  one  of  the  invisible 
haulers  stumbled,  and  a  voice  was  heard  to  say,  "  "What, 
you  on  your  knees,  Svante?" 

The  lady  who  was  standing  upon  the  steps  at  the 
time  understood,  without  anything  further,  who  had 
been  the  laborer's  helpers,  but  instead  of  repenting  she 
began  to  swear,  scold  and  in  the  end,  to  threaten  the 
man  with  imprisonment.  Hereupon  there  was  an 
earthquake  which  shook  the  walls  of  the  castle,  and  a 
black  carriage  drawn  by  two  black  horses  stood  in  the 
castle  yard.  A  handsome  man  dressed  in  black  stepped 
from  the  carriage,  bowed  to  the  lady  and  bade  her 
prepare  to  follow  him.  Tremblingly — for  she  knew 


183  SODERMANLAND. 

well  who  the  stranger  was —  she  begged  him  to  let  her 
remain  three  years  yet ;  to  this  the  visitor  would  not 
consent.  She  begged  for  three  months  ;  this  was  also 
denied  her,  and  at  last  she  prayed  for  three  days,  then 
three  hours,  but  was  allowed  only  three  minutes  in 
which  to  dispose  of  her  household  affairs. 

When  she  saw  that  prayers  availed  her  nothing  she 
asked  him  to,  at  least,  allow  her  curate,  chambermaid 
and  house  servants  to  go  with  her  on  the  journey. 
This  was  granted,  so  they  entered  the  carriage,  which 
was  instantly  under  way  and  went  off  at  such  a  speed 
that  the  people  who  stood  in  the  yard  saw  nothing  but 
a  black  streak  behind  it. 

When  the  lady  and  her  followers  had  ridden  some 
time  they  came  to  a  lighted  castle,  up  the  steps  of 
which  the  black  gentleman  conducted  them.  Arriv- 
ing in  the  hall,  he  deprived  the  lady  of  her  rich  clothes 
and  gave  her  instead  a  coarse  gown  and  wooden  shoes. 
Next  he  combed  her  hair  three  times  with  such  a  ven- 
geance that  the  blood  streamed  from  her  head,  and 
concluded  by  dancing  with  her  three  times  until  her 
shoes  were  filled  with  blood. 

After  the  first  dance  she  asked  permission  to  give 
her  gold  ring  to  her  chamberlain,  whose  fingers  were 
burned  by  it  as  with  fire.  After  the  second  dance  she 
gave  the  chambermaid  her  key  ring,  which  scorched 
her  fingers  as  if  glowing  iron.  At  the  termination  of 
the  third  dance  a  trap  in  the  floor  opened  and  the 
woman  vanished  in  a  cloud  of  smoke  and  flames. 

The  priest  who  stood  nearest  peeped  with  curiosity 
into  the  opening  where  the  woman  had  gone  down, 


SODERMANLAND. 


when  a  spark  came  up  from  below  and  hit  him  in  the 
eye  so  that  thereafter  he  had  but  one  eye. 

When  all  was  over  the  gentleman  in  black  gave  the 
servants  permission  to  return  home,  but  with  strong 
injunctions  not  to  look  back.  Hurriedly  they  sprang 
into  the  carriage.  The  way  was  broad  and  straight, 
and  the  horses  galloped  with  great  speed,  but  the 
chambermaid  could  not  control  her  curiosity,  and  looked 
back.  Instantly  the  carriage,  horses,  even  the  road  dis- 
appeared and  the  travelers  found  themselves  in  a  wild 
forest,  where  they  wandered  three  years  before  finding 
their  way  back  to  Pintorp. 


OMxTritig.* 


About  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Strengniis  lies  a  narrow 
valley,  between  several  wood-covered  heights  and  the 
island  upon  which  in  olden  times  Ingiald  I llrada  burned 
herself  and  all  her  attendants. 

The  valley  is  called  Eldsund,  and  was  formerly  an 
open  water  way  connecting  two  of  lake  Millar's  bays. 
Vessels  went,  then,  unhindered  through  there,  and  not 
many  years  ago  a  sunken  vessel  was  found,  buried  in 
the  mud  that  had  one  time  been  at  its  bottom.  Now 
there  is  nothing  but  a  small  stream  winding  its  way 
between  grass-grown  banks,  and  cows  and  goats  graze 
where  the  perch  and  the  pike  formerly  had  their  play- 
ground. 

At  one  place  this  little  stream  spreads  its  banks 
until  a  small  lake  is  formed,  which  was  once  of  quite 
respectable  size,  but  is  now  almost  grown  over  with 
reeds.  Many  a  poor  man  has  there  caught  a  fish  for 
his  pot,  that  otherwise  would  have  been  empty  enough. 

A  good  while  back  there  lived  a  lady  on  the  estate 
not  far  from  this  lake,  perhaps  as  near  as  Nasbyholm, 
upon  which,  near  the  water-course,  lies  the  notable 
"  cuckoo  stone." 

This  lady   was   very   rich   and   still   more   proud, 

*The  legend  of  the  ring1,  originally  an  Oriental  tale  [See  Herodotus  on 
King  Polycrates  in  Samos],  has  become  a  part  of  the  folk-lore  of  several 
localities  in  Scandinavia,  as  in  Na"rike,  The  Rich  Lady;  in  Norway,  The 
Insolent  Priest's  Daughter :  in  Denmark,  Free  Birthe,  etc. 

184 


SODERMANLAND.  185 

looking  with  contempt  upon  all  who  had  less  money 
and  lands  than  she,  and  were  not  of  as  noble  blood  as 
she  believed  herself  to  be. 

One  day  an  old  priest  visited  her.  A  priest  in  all 
respects,  not  one  of  those  accommodating  fellows  that 
could  be  sent  to  stir  the  fire,  or  one  who  went  with 
bent  back  away  from  home  and  was  painfully  straight 
at  home,  but  a  priest  who  did  not  hide  his  thoughts 
under  a  chair. 

While  the  priest  and  his  hostess  were  one  day  walk- 
ing along  the  lake  shore,  she  began,  as  was  her  habit, 
to  boast  of  her  riches;  to  tell  how  much  money  she 
had  at  interest,  and  how  many  tax  lists  she  had  com- 
plete and  incomplete,  whereupon  the  priest  asked  her 
how  far  she  thought  all  that  went,  or  what,  after 
all,  it  amounted  to,  for  she  could  not  take  her  riches 
with  her  into  the  grave.  At  this  the  lady  became 
angered,  and  declared  that  she  was  so  rich  that  if  she 
should  live  even  many  hundreds  of  years  she  need  not 
want,  and  that  it  was  as  impossible  that  she  should 
become  poor  as  it  would  be  to  recover  her  gold  ring 
from  the  depths  of  the  lake — at  the  same  time  drawing 
a  ring  from  her  finger  and  casting  it  far  out  into  the 
water. 

The  priest  maintained  that  as  wonderful  things  as 
this  had  happened  in  the  world,  and  that  it  was  not 
more  impossible  that  her  ring  might  be  recovered  than 
that  she  might  become  poor. 

Later  in  the  day  an  old  fisherman  came  to  the  house 
with  fish  to  sell.  A  number  were  bought,  and  the 
kitchen  girl  was  given  the  task  of  cleaning  them. 


186  SODERMANLAND. 

When  she  cut  open  the  largest  pike,  she  saw 
something  shining,  and,  upon  looking  with  greater 
care,  she  recognized  her  mistress'  most  valuable  finger 
ring.  In  great  haste  she  rushed  to  the  lady,  who  sat 
wrangling  with  the  moderate  priest  because  he  could 
think  it  possible  her  riches  might  be  taken  from  her. 

"  Has  my  lady  lost  her  ring  ? "  asked  the  maid. 

The  lady  ceased  to  talk,  and  cast  a  glance  at  the 
priest,  who  sat  quietly  at  the  window  looking  out 
toward  the  lake. 

"Here  it  is,  any  way,"  said  the  maid,  and  laid  the 
ring  upon  the  table. 

The  lady  grew  pale,  but  the  priest  looked  more 
serious  than  ever. 

How  it  went  with  her  and  her  riches  thereafter,  the 
story  does  not  relate,  but  the  lake  is  called  Goldring  to 
this  day. 


In  the  forest  north  of  Stora  Djulo,  in  the  parish  of 
Stora  Malm,  lies  a  hill  called  Stallsbacke — Stall  Hill— - 
because  King  Charles  XI.  is  said  to  have  had  his  stable 
there  on  one  of  his  journeys. 

"Within  the  forest  near  the  hill  there  is  an  en- 
chanted garden  where  many  a  man  has  gone  astray, 
and  has  been  compelled  to  wander  the  whole  night 

187 


80DERMANLAND. 


through,  because  he  did  not  know  that  turning  his 
coat  inside  out,  or  throwing  fire  at  the  sun,  would  give 
him  the  key  to  his  deliverance. 

Many  have,  during  these  wanderings,  been  im- 
prisoned in  the  enchanted  garden,  but  not  all  have  liber- 
ated themselves  from  the  enchantment  as  old  Lofberg, 
the  steward  from  Stora  Djulo,  succeeded  in  doing. 

Late  one  Thursday  evening,  while  traveling  the 
path  from  the  pasture  home  to  the  mansion,  he  found 
himself  suddenly  in  the  presence  of  a  high  wail  with 
grated  gates,  beyond  which  was  visible  the  most 
beautiful  garden  ever  seen  by  man.  The  moon  was 
high  in  the  heavens,  and  Lofberg  could  distinguish 
objects  as  clearly  as  in  daylight.  He  saw  that  the 
trees  hung  full  of  fruit,  and  that  the  bushes  were 
bowed  with  berries,  which  glistened  like  precious 
stones.  When  he  had  viewed  the  magnificent  sight  a 
few  minutes,  and  was  about  to  go  on,  an  old  man,  who 
proclaimed  himself  the  gardener,  presented  himself, 
and  invited  Lofberg  to  go  in  and  gather  of  the  fruit 
what  he  pleased.  But  Lofberg  was  too  wise  for  this. 
He  understod  that  what  he  saw  was  the  work  of  the 
Trolls,  and  answered  that  at  home  there  was  a  much 
more  beautiful  garden,  and  that  he  had  no  occasion  to 
go  into  strange  gardens  to  get  a  few  rotten,  sour 
apples. 

This  he  should  not  have  said.  Suddenly  there 
came  up  a  strong  wind,  which  blew  his  hat  over  the 
wall,  and,  as  Lofberg  left  it  behind  him  and  hastened 
home,  there  came  a  crash  in  the  forest,  whereupon  the 
vision  suddenly  melted  away. 


In  the  parish  of  Veckholm,  east 
of    Svingarn   Fjord,   lived,   in   the 


*  Supplementing  this  story,  it  is  related  that  the  punishment  meted 
out  to  the  priest's  worldly-minded  wife  for  seducing  the  servant  into  the 


190  UPLAND. 

fifteenth  century,  a  priest  widely  known  for  his  wisdom 
and  goodness.  No  day  went  by  that  he  did  not  read  his 
Bible,  and  in  the  evening,  when  others  had  gone  to 
rest,  he  went  to  the  church  to  offer  up  his  prayers 
at  the  altar. 

His  wife,  who  attended  only  to  her  wrorldly  affairs, 
and  did  not  look  upon  these  nightly  ramblings 
kindly,  determined  to  put  an  end  to  them,  and  to  this 
end,  one  evening,  called  into  service  one  of  the  serv- 
ants. "  Lasse,"  said  she,  "  if  you  will  put  a  white 
sheet  over  you  and  stand  in  the  dark  near  the  path  and 
frighten  father  when  he  comes  from  the  church,  you 
shall  have  a  pot  of  ale." 

The  man  had  nothing  against  this,  and  with  the  as- 
sistance of  his  mistress,  clad  himself  as  directed  and 
took  a  position  near  the  path  connecting  the  church 
and  parsonage. 

After  awhile  the  priest  came  from  the  church. 
Upon  observing  the  spook,  he  read  a  prayer  and  bade 
the  apparition  sink  into  the  ground. 

The  man  sank  into  the  ground  to  his  knees  without 
betraying  himself,  but  continued  to  play  the  ghost. 
The  priest  prayed  again,  when  Lasse  sank  into  the 
ground  to  his  waist. 

"  It  is  I !  dear  father !  it  is  I ! "  cried  Lasse,  now 
in  consternation. 

"  It  is  too  late!  too  late,  Lasse !  "  replied  the  priest, 

attempt  to  frighten  her  husband  from  his  devotions  was  that  her  body 
after  death  should  remain  in  the  grave  undecayed. 

The  same  story  is  told  of  a  woman  member  of  the  old  family  of  Ickorna, 
and  the  attempt  has  been  made  to  establish  that  she  is  identical  with  the 
woman  of  Veckkolm. 


UPLAND.  191 

with  a  sorrowful  voice.     At  the  same  time  the  servant 
sank  alive  into  the  earth  out  of  sight. 

To  commemorate  the  incident,  a  wooden  cross  was 
raised  on  the  spot,  which  is  always  replaced  by  a  new 
one  when  the  old  one  has  become  old  and  decayed. 


©Id      tew  of 


Near  Lagga  Church,  in  the  municipality  of  Lang- 
hundra,  is  a  singularly  formed  mountain.  On  the  side 
of  it  toward  the  church  is  an  opening,  from  which,  it 
is  said,  two  paths  lead — the  one  south  to  a  hill  near  the 
so  called  "  Meadow  Watcher's  Cottage,"  the  other 
north  to  Kashogen,  near  Kasby  estate. 

In  the  mountain  lived  a  giant  called  Lagge  Gub- 
ben — old  man  Lagge — who,  when  last  seen,  was  at 
least  five  hundred  years  old,  and  his  hair  as  white  as 
the  feathers  of  a  dove. 

Early  one  morning  a  peasant  named  Jacob  going 
to  the  village  of  Lagga,  passed  the  mountain,  when  the 
old  mountain  man  came  out  and  saluted  him  :  "  Good 
morning,  Joppe!  Will  you  come  in  and  drink  healths 
with  me  ? " 

"  No,  thank  you,"  replied  Jacob,  who  had  no  de- 
sire for  such  companionship.  a  If  you  have  more  than 
you  are  able  to  drink,  save  it  until  morning,  for  there 
is  another  day  coming." 

"  That  is  good  advice,"  said  Lagga.  "  Had  I 
known  that  before,  I  should  have  been  a  richer 
man,  now." 

"It  is  not  yet  too  late,"  replied  the  peasant. 

"Yes  it  is,  for  I  must  leavo  here  in  the  morning  on 
account  of  the  church  bells,"  said  the  giant,  shaking 
his  fist  at  Lagga  clock  tower. 

192 


UPLAND.  193 

"  You  will  come  again,  never  fear,"  said  Jacob 
consolingly. 

"  Yes,  when  Lagga  Fjord  becomes  a  field  and  Ostund 
Lake  a  meadow,"  replied  the  giant  with  a  sigh,  and  dis- 
appeared into  the  mountain. 


About  a  mile  northwest  from  Jiirna  Church  was  lo- 
cated, at  one  time,  a  water  mill,  Snoaqvarn,  belonging  to 
the  parishoners  of  Nas. 

*The  water  nymphs  are  noted  musicians ;  their  music  usually  being  in 
a  plaintive  strain  and  expressing  a  longing  to  be  released  on  the  day  of 

194 


DALARNE.  195 

One  Sunday  morning,  before  the  church  of  Jam  a 
had  a  priest  of  its  own,  the  chaplain  of  Nas  set  out  for 
that  place,  and  had  just  arrived  at  the  mill,  when  he 
saw  a  water  man  sitting  in  the  rapids  below  it,  playing 
on  a  fiddle  a  psalm  from  a  psalm  book. 

"What  good  do  you  think  your  playing  will  do 
you  ? "  said  the  priest.  "  You  need  expect  no  mercy ! " 

Sadly  the  figure  ceased  playing,  and  broke  his  fiddle 
in  pieces,  whereupon  the  priest  regretted  his  severe 
condemnation,  and  again  spoke : 

"  God  knows,  maybe,  after  all." 

"Is  that  so  ?"  exclaimed  the  man  in  joy,  "then  I'll 
pick  up  my  pieces  and  play  better  and  more  charmingly 
than  before."  

To  another  mill  in  the  same  parish,  Lindqvarn,  near 
Lindsnas,  a  peasant  came  one  time  with  his  grist. 
Along  in  the  night  he  thought  he  would  go  and  see  if 
it  was  yet  ground.  He  noticed  on  his  arrival  that  the 
mill  was  not  running,  and  opened  the  wicket  to  the 
wheel-house  to  learn  what  the  matter  might  be,  when  he 
saw,  glaring  at  him  from  the  water  below,  two  eyes 
"as  large  as  half  moons." 

"  The  devil !  what  great  eyes  you  have ! "  cried  the 
peasant,  but  received  no  reply. 

"Whew!  what  monstrous  eyes  you  have!"  the 
peasant  again  cried ;  again  no  answer. 

judgment.  Sometimes,  but  not  so  often,  they  appear  in  the  folk-lore  as 
the  capricious  ruleis  of  the  streams  which  they  inhabit.  It  is  believed,  in 
certain  regions  that  one  should  not  grind  grain  on  the  night  before  Christ- 
mas, for  at  that  time  the  nymphs  are  out  in  all  the  streams,  and  if  they  find 
a  mill  going  they  stop  it,  break  it,  or  grind  at  such  a  furious  rate  that  the 
millstones  burst. 


196  DALARNE. 

Then  he  sprang  into  the  mill,  where  he  stirred  up  a 
large  fire  brand,  with  which  he  returned. 

"  Are  your  eyes  as  large  now?"  he  shouted  through 
the  wicket. 

"Yes !  "  came  in  answer  from  the  stream. 

Hereupon  the  peasant  ran  the  stick  through  a  hole 
in  the  floor,  where  the  voice  seemed  to  come  from,  and 
at  once  the  wheel  began  to  turn  again. 


Many  generations  ago  there  lived  at  Bole,  in  the 
parish  of  Ore,  a  man  named  Bolsbjorn,  noted  far  and 
wide  for  his  wonderful  strength. 

The  king,  hearing  about  him,  commanded  him  to  come 
to  Stockholm  and  wrestle  with  a  newly  arrived  foreign 
champion  named  Stenbock,  who  was  said  to  be  so  strong 
that  he  had  never  found  his  superior. 

Bolsbjorn  hastened  to  obey  the  king's  command. 
Strapping  his  skates  upon  him,  he  set  off  at  such  a  speed 
that  his  dog,  which  had  followed  him,  gave  out  and 
died  on  the  way,  and  the  new-baked  bread  put  into  his 
haversack  was  yet  warm  upon  his  arrival  at  Stock- 
holm. 

He  was  conducted  to  the  king,  and  was  told  that  he 
might  name  his  own  reward,  however  great  it  might 
be,  if  he  would  vanquish  Stenbock. 

The  struggle  was  soon  begun  and  suddenly  con- 
cluded by  Bolsbjorn  laying  his  antagonist  upon  his  back 
with  such  force  that  three  of  his  ribs  were  broken. 
For  his  reward,  Bolsbjorn  demanded  as  much  land  as  he 
could  skate  around  in  one  day,  and  it  was  granted 
him  by  the  king. 

When  he  returned  home  he  had  made  the  circuit  of 
nearly  twelve  square  miles  of  land,  which  his  descend- 
ants to  this  day  occupy. 

*It  is  believed  this  comes  from  an  old  Icelandic  Saga,  which  has  been 
made  a  part  of  the  folk-lore  of  Dalarne. 

197 


lue 


It  is  an  established  rule  that  he  who  seeks  buried 
treasures  must  carefully  maintain  the  utmost  silence, 
lest  his  search  be  in  vain  and  harm  befall  him,  body 
and  soul. 

They  were  not  ignorant  of  this — the  four  men  that 
one  time  made  up  a  party  for  the  purpose  of  unearth- 
ing treasures  said  to  be  buried  in  Josaterdal. 

Making  their  way,  one  midsummer  night,  across  Lake 
Salen,  they  saw  approaching  them  a  man  of  strange 
aspect,  behind  whose  boat  dragged  a  large  fir  tree,  and 
a  little  later  another,  who  inquired  if  they  had  seen  any 
float-wood  on  their  way. 

The  treasure  seekers,  who  understood  that  these 
rowers  were  no  other  than  fairies,  pretended  not  to 
hear  the  question,  and  reached  Josaterdal  finally,  with- 
out further  temptation. 

Just  as  they  began  to  dig  in  the  hill  a  grand  officer 
approached  and  addressed  them,  but  no  one  answered. 
Soon  after  a  number  of  soldiers  marched  up  and  began 
to  shoot  at  the  diggers,  but  they  did  not  allow  even 
this  to  disturb  them.  Suddenly  a  red  calf  hopped  up  and 
the  soldiers  pressed  nearer,  so  that  the  men  soon  stood 
enveloped  in  powder-smoke  so  thick  that  they  could 
not  see  each  other.  When  this  did  not  frighten  them, 
a  tall  gallows  was  raised  on  the  side  of  the  hill.  It  so 
happened  that  one  of  the  diggers  wore  a  red  shirt  that 

198 


DALAKNE.  100 

attracted   the  attention  of   the  spirits,  one  of  which 
cried  out : 

"  Shall  Ave  begin  with  him  wearing  the  red  shirt  ?  " 
Whereupon  he  lost  his  courage  and  took  to  his  heels, 
followed  neck  over  head  by  the  others. 


Slue 


A  Finn  in  the  forests  of  Safsen,  having  for  a  long 
time  suffered  ill  luck  with  his  flock,  determined,  let  the 

*The  magpie  in  f  >lk-lore  is  an  ominous  bird,  and  is  avoided  by  the 
peasantry,  because  one  cm  not  know  whether  it  is  the  spirit  of  a  Troll, 
friend  or  foe.  When  the  mag-pies  build  near  the  house  it  is  regarded  as  a 
lucky  omen,  but  if  they  build  on  the  heath,  and  meantime  come  to  the 
house  aud  chatter,  it  bodes  evil. 

200 


DALARNE.  201 

cost  be  what  it  would,  to  find,  through  a  Lapp  well 
versed  in  the  arts  of  the  Trolls,  a  remedy  for  the  evil 
he  was  enduring. 

To  this  end  he  set  out  for  the  home  of  his  to-be- 
deliverer,  and  after  a  long  and  fatiguing  journey 
through  the  wilderness,  he  came  at  last  to  a  Lapp  hut 
which,  with  no  little  quaking,  he  entered,  and  there 
found  a  man  busied  with  a  fire  upon  the  floor. 

The  Lapp  who,  through  his  connection,  with  the 
Trolls,  already  knew  the  purpose  of  the  visit,  and  very 
much  flattered  thereby,  greeted  his  guest  kindly,  and 
said  : 

"Good  morning,  Juga.  my  boy,  are  you  here?-  I 
can  give  you  news  from  home.  Everything  goes  well 
there.  I  was  there  yesterday." 

The  Finn  was  terribly  frightened  at  the  discovery  that 
he  was  recognized,  but  now  more  when  he  heard  that  the 
Lapp  had  made  the  same  journey  forth  and  back  in  one 
day,  that  had  cost  him  so  many  days  of  wandering. 

With  assurance  of  friendship,  the  Lapp  quieted  his 
fears,  and  continued : 

"  I  had  a  little  matter  to  attend  to  yesterday  at 
your  home,  and  sat  upon  the  housetop  when  your  wife 
went  over  the  garden,  but  I  saw  she  did  not  know  me, 
for  she  threatened  me  with  the  house  key."' 

The  Finn  now  made  known  his  errand,  and  received 
for  answer  that  his  animals  were  even  now  doing  as  well 
as  he  could  wish.  The  presents  brought  by  the  Finn 
greatly  strengthened  their  pleasant  relations,  and  the 
Lapp  agreed  willingly  to  initiate  him  into  the  mysteries 
of  Trolldom. 


DALARNE. 


When  the  Finn  reached  home,  the  incidents  of  his 
journey  were  circumstantially  related  to  his  wife,  even 
to  the  Lapp's  account  of  his  visit,  and  the  threats  with 
the  house  key. 

"  Yes,  I  remember  now,"  said  she,  u  that  a  magpie 
sat  upon  the  roof  the  same  day  that  the  animals  seemed 
to  revive,  but  I  believed  it  to  be  an  unlucky  bird,  there- 
fore tried  to  frighten  it  away  with  the  key." 

The  Finn  and  his  wife  now  understood  that  it  was 
their  friend,  who  had  transformed  himself  thus  in  order 
to  do  them  a  service,  and  from  that  time  held  these 
creatures  in  great  veneration. 


Memories  of  the  epidemics  that  have  ravaged  our 
country  still  live  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  though, 
with  time,  like  many  other  recollections,  they  have 
taken  the  form  of  myths. 

During  the  plague  there  was  seen,  wandering  from 
village  to  village,  a  boy  and  a  girl,  the  one  with  a  rake, 
the  other  with  a  broom.  Wherever  the  boy  was  seen 
to  use  his  rake,  one  and  another  was  spared  from  death, 
but  where  the  girl  swept,  death  left  an  empty  house, 
and  the  places  that  were  not  approached  by  these 
beings  escaped  the  plague  entirely. 

On  Soller  Island,  in  Siljan,  they  strewed  gold  and 
precious  stones  along  the  roads  and  paths,  which  were  so 
infected  that  he  who  so  much  as  moved  one  with  his 
hand  became  a  corpse  before  the  next  sunset. 

In  the  end  there  remained  no  one  on  the  island  ex- 
cept two  wise  old  men,  one  named  Bengh,  the  other 
Harold,  who  were  not  deluded  by  the  gold,  thereby 
saving  their  lives. 

A  number  of  the  islanders  escaped  by  flight  and 
moved  to  the  North  Land  through  the  "  Twelve-Mile 
Eoads,"  that  bordered  upon  Yermland. 

Among  those  who  fled  was  a  young  and  beautiful 
maiden  named  Malin,  who,  when  she  came  out  upon  the 

*In  other  regions  it  is  related  that  heralding  an  epidemic,  a  little  bird 
flies  around  the  country  where  men  are  plowing,  and,  perched  upon  the 
ox-yokes,  twitters  its  warning. 

303 


204  DALARNE. 

road,  observed  a  glittering  jewel,  which,  upon  closer 
inspection,  represented  Christ  upon  the  cross.  Not- 
withstanding the  warning  of  her  companions,  she  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  pick  up  the  doubly  valua- 
ble article. 

When  they  came  later  to  their  first  camping  place, 
Rossberg,  about  four  miles  from  Soller  Island,  Malin 
was  seen  to  fall  upon  her  knees  and  give  herself  up  to 
earnest  prayer,  but  just  as  the  evening  sun  hid  himself 
behind  a  mountain,  she  sank  lifeless  upon  a  stone, 
which  even  to  this  day  is  called  "  Malin's  Church,"  and 
is  dressed  every  midsummer  by  the  herdsmen  with 
fresh  leaves  and  fragrant  flowers. 


Vatters,  according  to  the 
Northern  belief,  are  creatures 
that  live  under  ground,  but  often 
appear  above,  and  then  in  human 


*To  the  characteristics  attributed  in  this  story  to  the  VHtters  may  be 
added  that  they  are  peaceable  and  generally  inclined  to  be  friendly  to  man- 
kind, but  that  they  may,  nevertheless,  be  aroused  to  acts  of  violence  if  their 


-*06  GfcSTKIKLAND. 

form  so  perfect  that  they  have  many  times  been 
mistaken  for  mankind.  They  live,  as  do  the  Trolls 
and  Giants,  in  mountains,  but  more  often  move  from 
one  to  another,  and  it  is  mostly  during  these  journeys 
that  they  are  seen. 

When  the  parish  of  Ockilbo  was  first  settled,  the 
Viitters  were  so  plentiful  that  a  peasant  who  fixed  his 
abode  near  the  Ronn  Hills  was  forced  to  build  his 
windows  high  up  near  the  eaves  of  his  cottage  to 
escape  seeing  the  troublesome  multitude  of  these.beings 
that  continually  swarmed  around. 

Despite  the  disposition  of  the  cottager  to  have 
nothing  to  do  with  the  Vatters,  he  could  not  avoid 
getting  into  complications  with  them  at  times. 

One  evening,  when  the  wife  went  to  drive  the  goats 
into  the  goat  house,  she  saw  among  hers  two  strange 
goats,  having  horsehoofs  instead  of  cloven  hoofs,  as 
should  be.  Do  her  utmost,  it  was  impossible  to  sepa- 
rate them  from  the  others.  They  pressed  on,  and  were 
locked  up  with  the  rest. 

In  the  night  she  was  awakened  by  a  heavy  pound- 
ing upon  the  walls,  and  a  voice  from  without  called  : 

"Let  us  be  neighborly,  mother,  and  return  my 
goats  to  me." 

The  woman  dressed  herself  and  hastened  to  the 
goat  house,  where  the  strange  animals  were  making 
a  dreadful  uproar.  Upon  her  opening  the  door  they 

wishes  are  not  heeded,  or  if  harm  is  done  them  designedly.  They  are  said 
to  have  great  quantities  of  gold  and  silver,  but  steel  is  very  offensive  to 
them.  If,  therefore,  a  knife  is  stuck  into  a  fissure  in  a  mountain,  a  piece  of 
gold  will,  a  few  days  later,  be  found  in  its  stead.  During  autumn  and  in 
winter  they  take  up  their  abode  in  vacated  cow  barns,  where  they  employ 
themselves  after  the  manner  of  mankind. 


GESTRIKLAND.  207 

sprang  out  and  hurried  to  the  forest,  whence  she  heard 
the  Vatters  shouting  and  calling  them. 

Thus  a  friendly  feeling  was  forever  established  be- 
tween the  cottager  and  the  Vatters,  and  from  that  day 
there  were  no  more  disturbances. 


In  tho  village  Tasta — Tattestad — in  the  parish  of 
Hog,  lived  in  former  times  a  widely  renowned  man 
named  Tatte,  whose  son,  Blacke,  after  whom  the  high 
mountain,  Blackasberg,  was  named,  dwelt  in  Nannes- 
tad,  a  village  in  the  parish  of  Forssa. 

When  the  father  and  son  were  baptized  they  to- 
gether built  the  church  of  Hog,  in  commemoration  of 
the  event.  Upon  its  completion  Blacke,  whose  home 
was  a  long  ride  distant,  stipulated  that  the  bells,  calling 
the  people  to  worship,  should  never  be  rung  until  his 
white  horse  was  seen  on  Asaks  Hill. 

One  Christmas  day,  when  Blacke  was  later  than 
usual,  Tatte  commanded  that  the  bell  be  rung,  and  the 
services  had  already  begun  when  Blacke  arrived  at  the 
church.  In  anger  he  tore  the  runic  engraved  ring 
from  the  church  door,  with  prayers  bound  it  upon  his 
horse,  made  a  vow  that  he  would  build  a  church  of  his 
own  where  the  ring  fell  to  the  ground,  and  mounting 
his  horse,  rode  away  at  full  speed. 

While  crossing  Lake  Forssa  the  ice  broke,  and  the 
horse  was  plunged  into  the  water,  but  both  horse  and 
rider,  however,  succeeded  in  reaching  the  shore,  where 
the  horse  shook  himself  so  violently  that  the  ring  was 
loosened  and  fell  to  the  earth.  Blacke  kept  his  word 
and  built  a  church,  which,  after  the  adjacent  lake,  was 
called  Forssa  Church. 


ami  gale. 


The  renowned  hero,  Starkad,  the 
greatest  warrior  of  the  North,  had 
offended  a  princess,  therefore  had  fal- 
len under  the  displeasure  of  the  king, 
to  escape  whose  wrath  he  wandered 
northward,  where  he  took  up  his 
abode  at  Eude  in  Tuna,  and  it  is 
related  in  the  folk  stories  that  he 


210  MEDELPAD. 

then  took  the  name  of  "  Ala  Drang,"  or  "  Rodu 
Pilt." 

In  Balbo,  nine  miles  distant,  in  the  parish  of  Bor- 
gajo,  dwelt  another  warrior,  Bale,  who  was  a  good 
friend  to  Starkad,  and  a  companion  in  arms. 

Onemorning.Starkad  climed  to  the  top  of  Kief  berg, 
in  Tuna,  and  addressed  Bale,  thus : 

"  Bale  in  Balbo,  are  you  awake  ? " 

"Rodu  Pilt,"  answered  Bale,  nine  miles  away, 
"the  sun  and  I  always  awake  at  the  same  time  ;  but 
how  is  it  with  you  ?  " 

"Poorly  enough!  I  have  only  salmon  for  break- 
fast, dinner  and  supper.  Bring  me  a  piece  of  meat." 

"All  right!"  replied  Bale,  and  in  a  few  hours  ar- 
rived in  Tuna  with  an  elk  under  each  arm. 

The  following  morning  Bale  stood  upon  a  mountain 
in  Balbo  and  shouted  : 

"  Rodu  Pilt ,  are  you  awake  ?  " 

"  The  sun  and  I  awake  always  at  the  same  time," 
answered  Starkad,  "  but  how  is  it  with  you  ? " 

"Oh,  I  have  nothing  but  meat  to  eat  —  elk  for 
breakfast,  elk  for  dinner  and  elk  for  supper,  come, 
therefore,  and  bring  me  a  fish." 

"  All  right,"  said  Starkad,  and  in  a  little  while  he 
was  with  his  friend,  bearing  a  barrel  of  salmon  under 
each  arm. 

In  this  manner  the  warriors  kept  each  other  sup- 
plied with  fresh  game  from  forest  and  sea,  meantime 
spreading  desolation  and  terror  through  the  country, 
but  one  evening  as  they  were  returning  from  a  plun- 
dering expedition  to  the  sea,  a  black  cloud  appeared, 


MEDELPAD.  211 

and  it  began  to  thunder  and  lighten.  Both  hastened 
on  the  way,  but  reached  no  further  than  to  Vattjoin, 
when  Starkad  was  struck  dead  by  lightning.  His  com- 
panion buried  him  in  a  hill  around  which  he  placed 
five  stones,  two  at  his  feet,  one  at  each  shoulder  and 
one  at  his  head,  marking  to  this  day  the  grave  of  Star- 
kad forty  feet  in  length. 


When  the  church  at  Sjalevad 
was  about  to  be  built,  parishioners 
could  not  agree  upon  a  location. 
Those  who  resided  farthest  north 
wished  it  built  at  Hemling,  and 
those  dwelling  to  the  south  desired 
it  more  convenient  to  them.  To 

terminate  the  wrangle  an  agree- 
as 


ANGKRMANLAND.  213 

ment  was  arrived  at  as  ingenious  as  simple.  Two  logs 
were  thrown  out  into  Horiitt  Sound,  and  it  was  decided 
that  if  they  floated  out  to  sea  the  church  should  be 
built  at  Voge,  but  if  they  floated  in  toward  the  Fjord 
of  Sjalevad,  Hemling  should  be  the  building  spot. 

It  happened  that  just  then  it  was  full  high  tide, 
when  the  current  changes  from  its  usual  course,  and  in 
consequence  the  logs  floated  in  favor  of  Hemling. 

The  Southerners  found  it  hard  to  swallow  their  dis- 
appointment and  at  once  set  their  wits  at  work  to  find 
a  way  to  defeat  the  accidental  good  luck  of  their  neigh- 
bors. In  the  old  chapel  of  Hemling  there  was  an  un- 
usually large  bell,  said  to  have  been  brought  from  some 
strango  land,  and  regarded  with  great  veneration. 
Upon  this  the  Southerners  set  their  hope.  One  beauti- 
ful night  they  stole  the  bell  and  took  it  southward, 
persuaded  that  their  opponents  would  follow  and  build 
the  church  near  Voge.  But  the  bell,  which  knew  best 
where  the  church  ought  to  stand,  provided  itself  with 
invisible  wings  and  started  to  fly  back  'to  the  place 
from  which  it  had  been  brought. 

As  it  was  winging  its  way  homeward,  an  old  woman 
standing  on  Karnigberg — Hag  Mountain  —  saw  some- 
thing strange  floating  through  the  air,  at  which  she 
stared  earnestly,  wondering  what  it  could  be,  finally 
recognizing  the  much  prized  bell  of  the  parish,  where- 
upon she  cried  out : — 

"  Oh  !     See  our  holy  church  bell 1" 

Nothing  more  was  needed  to  deprive  the  bell  of  its 
power  of  locomotion  and  it  plunged,  like  a  stone,  into 
Prest  Sund — priest  sound — where,  every  winter,  a  hole 
in  the  ice  marks  its  resting  place  at  the  bottom. 


gtoretwrase. 


In  Herjedalen,  as  in  many  of  the  northern  regions 
of  our  country,  where  there  is  yet  something  remain- 
ing of  the  primitive  pastoral  life,  there  are  still  kept 
alive  reminiscences  of  a  very  ancient  people,  whose 

214 


HERJEDALEN.  215 

occupation  was  herding  cattle,  which  constituted  their 
wealth  and  support.  It  is,  however,  with  a  later  and 
more  civilized  people,  though  no  date  is  given,  that 
this  narrative  deals. 

In  days  gone  by,  so  the  story  goes,  it  happened 
that  a  milkmaid  did  not  produce  as  much  milk  and 
butter  from  her  herd  as  usual,  for  which  her  master 
took  her  severely  to  task.  The  girl  sought  vindication 
by  charging  it  upon  the  Yiitts,  who,  she  claimed,  pos- 
sessed the  place  and  appropriated  a  share  of  the  prod- 
uct of  the  herd.  This,  the  master  was  not  willing  to 
believe,  but,  to  satisfy  himself,  went  one  autumn  even- 
ing, after  the  cattle  had  been  brought  home,  to  the 
dairy  house,  where  he  secreted  himself,  as  he  supposed, 
under  an  upturned  cheese  kettle.  He  had  not  sat  in 
his  hiding  place  long  when  a  Yiitt  mother  with  her 
family  —  a  large  one  —  came  trooping  in  and  began 
preparation  for  their  meal. 

The  mother,  who  was  busy  at  the  fireplace,  finally 
inquired  if  all  had  spoons. 

"  Yes,"  replied  one  of  the  Ya'tts.  "  All  except  him 
under  the  kettle." 

The  dairyman's  doubts  were  now  dispelled,  and  he 
hastened  to  move  his  residence  to  another  place. 


It  is  probable  that  the 
u  Stone  in  Gronan  Dal"  is  like 
the  traditional  Phoenix,  a  pure 
tradition,  since  it  has  never  been 
found  by  any  one  of  the  many 
who  have  made  pilgrimages  to 
the  valley  in  search  of  it,  for  the 
purpose  of  deciphering  the  Runic 

316 


JAMTLAND.  Sit 

characters  said  to  be  engraved  thereon.  Yet  many 
stories  are  widely  current  in  the  land  concerning  it, 
and  the  old  people  relate  the  following: 

When  St.  Jaffen,  "the  Apostle  of  the  North,"  was 
one  time  riding  through  Jamtland  from  the  borders  of 
Norway,  his  way  led  along  a  beautiful  green  valley,  in 
the  parish  of  Are.  Becoming  weary,  he  dismounted 
and  laid  himself  down  for  a  nap.  When  he  awoke  it 
occurred  to  him  that  such  a  garden  spot  must  some 
day  be  inhabited  by  mankind,  so,  selecting  a  slab  of 
stone,  he  cut  in  its  surface  the  following  prophetic 

lines : 

"  When  Swedish  men  adopt  foreign  customs 
And  the  land  loses  its  old  honor, 
Yet,  shall  stand  the  Stone  in  Gronan  Dal. 

When  churches  are  converted  into  prisons, 
And  God's  services  have  lost  their  joyous  light, 
Yet  shall  stand  the  Stone  in  Gronan  Dal. 

When  rogues  and  villains  thrive 

And  honest  men  are  banished, 

Yet  will  stand  the  Stone  in  Gronan  Dal. 

When  priests  become  beggars, 

And  farmers  monsters, 

Then  shall  lie  the  Stone  in  Gronan  Dal." 

When  the  Governor  of  the  Province,  Baron  Tilas, 
in  1742,  traveled  through  Jamtland,  he  found,  a  few 
paces  east  of  the  gate  of  Skurdal,  a  stone  lying,  which 
he  concluded  must  be  the  stone  so  much  talked  about. 
When  his  coat  of  arms  and  the  date  had  been  en- 
graved upon  it,  he  caused  it  to  be  raised,  so  that, 
"  even  yet  it  stands,  the  Stone  in  Gronan  Dal." 


in  a 


In  the  great  forest  Avest  of  Samsele,  a  hunter, 
early  one  morning,  pursued  his  way  in  quest  of  game. 
About  midday  he  ascended  a  ridge,  where  he  was  over- 
taken by  a  Troll-iling  —  a  storm  said  to  be  raised  by 
and  to  conceal  a  Troll  —  before  which  sticks  and  straws 
danced  in  the  air.  Quickly  grasping  his  knife  he  threw 
it  at  the  wind,  which  at  once  subsided,  and  in  a  few 
seconds  the  usual  quiet  reigned. 

Some  time  later  he  was  again  hunting,  when  he  lost 
his  way.  After  a  long  and  wearisome  wandering  he 
reached  a  Lapp  hut,  where  he  found  a  woman  stirring 
something  in  a  kettle.  When  she  had  concluded  her 
cooking,  she  invited  the  hunter  to  dine,  and  gave  him  the 
same  knife  to  eat  with  that  he  had  thrown  at  the  storm 

The  following  day  he  wished  to  return  home,  but 
could  not  possibly  discover  the  course  he  should  take, 
whereupon  the  Troll  woman  —  for  his  hostess  was  none 
other  —  directed  him  to  get  into  the  Lapp  sled,  and  attach 
to  it  a  rope,  in  which  he  must  tie  three  knots. 

"Now,  untie  one  knot  at  a  time,"  said  she,  "and 
you  will  soon  reach  home." 

The  hunter  untied  one  knot,  as  instructed,  and  away 
went  the  rope,  dragging  the  sled  after  it  into  the  air. 
After  a  time  he  untied  another  knot,  and  his  speed  was 
increased.  Finally  he  untied  the  last  knot,  increasing 
the  speed  to  such  a  rate  that  when  the  sled  came  to  a 
standstill,  as  it  did,  suddenly,  not  long  after,  he  con- 
cluded his  journey,  falling  into  his  own  yard  with  such 
force  as  to  break  his  leg. 

218 


app  O&cticsis,  or  tte  ffirst  of 
Inucl. 


The  Lapps,  like  other  people,  have  their  legends, 
and  many  of  them  the  same,  or  nearly  so,  as  are  found 
among  other  nations.  Others  reflect  more  particularly 
the  national  characteristics  of  the  Lapp  folk.  Thus, 
for  instance,  there  is  to  be  found  among  them  a 
tradition  of  a  general  deluge,  a  universal  catastrophe, 
whereof  there  still  remains  a  dim  reminiscence  in  the 
consciences  of  so  many  other  primitive  people. 

Before  the  Lord  destroyed  mankind,  so  says  the 
Lapp  legend,  there  were  people  in  Samelads  (Lapp- 
land),  but  when  the  Flood  came  upon  the  earth  every 
living  creature  perished  except  two,  a  brother  and  sister, 
whom  God  conducted  to  a  high  mountain — Passevare — 
"  The  Holy  Mountain." 

When  the  waters  had  subsided  and  the  land  was 
again  dry,  the  brother  and  sister  separated,  going  in 
opposite  directions  in  search  of  others,  if  any  might  be 
left.  After  three  years'  fruitless  search  they  met,  and, 
recognizing  each  other,  they  once  more  went  into  the 
world,  to  meet  again  in  three  years,  but,  recognizing 
one  another  now,  also,  they  parted  a  third  time.  When 
they  met  at  the  end  of  these  three  years  neither  knew 
the  other,  whereafter  they  lived  together,  and  from 
them  came  the  Lapps  and  Swedes. 

Again,  as  to  the  distinct  manners  and  customs  of 
the  Lapps  and  Swedes,  they  relate  that  at  first  both 

219 


Lapps  and  Swedes  were  as  one  people  and  of  the  same 
parentage,  but  during  a  severe  storm  the  one  became 
frightened,  and  hurried  under  a  board.  From  this 
came  the  Swedes,  who  live  in  houses.  The  other  re- 
mained in  the  open  air,  and  he  became  the  progenitor 
of  the  Lapps,  who,  to  this  day,  do  not  ask  for  a  roof 
over  their  heads. 


CSfcrat's 


More  than  with  anything  else,  the  Lapp  legends 
have  to  do  with  giants  and  the  adventures  of  mankind 
with  them.  The  giant  is  feared  because  of  his  great 
size  and  strength  and  his  insatiable  appetite  for  human 
flesh.  His  laziness,  clumsiness,  and  that  he  is  inferior 
to  the  man  in  intelligence  are,  however,  often  the 
cause  of  his  overthrow. 

It  is,  therefore,  commonly  an  adventure  wherein 
the  giant  has  been  outwitted  by  a  Lapp  man  or  woman 
that  concludes  the  giant  stories. 

There  was  one  time  a  giant  who  made  love  to  a 
rich  Lapp  girl.  Neither  she  nor  her  father  were  much 
inclined  toward  the  match,  but  they  did  not  dare  do 
otherwise  than  appear  to  consent  and  at  the  same  time 
thank  the  Giant  for  the  high  honor  he  would  bestow 
upon  them.  The  father,  nevertheless,  determined  that 
the  union  should  not  take  place,  and  consoled  himself 
with  the  hope  that  when  the  time  arrived  some  means 
of  defeating  the  Giant's  project  would  be  presented. 
Meantime  he  was  obliged  to  set  the  day  when  the 
Giant  might  come  and  claim  his  bride.  Before  the 
Giant's  arrival  the  Lapp  took  a  block  of  wood,  about 
the  size  of  his  daughter,  and  clothing  it  in  a  gown, 
a  new  cap,  silver  belt,  shoes  and  shoe  band,  he  sat  it 
up  in  a  corner  of  the  tent,  with  a  close  veil,  such 
as  is  worn  by  Lapp  brides,  over  the  head. 

When  the  Giant  entered  the  tent  he  was  much 
221 


222  LAPPLAND. 

pleased  to  find  the  bride,  as  he  supposed,  in  her  best 
attire  awaiting  him,  and  at  once  asked  his  prospective 
father-in-law  to  go  out  with  him  and  select  the  rein-' 
deer  that  should  go  with  the  bride  as  her  dower. 
Meanwhile  the  daughter  was  concealed  behind  an 
adjacent  hill  with  harnessed  reindeer  ready  for  flight. 
When  the  reindeer  had  been  counted  out  the  Giant 
proceeded  to  kill  one  of  them  for  supper,  while  the 
Lapp  slipped  off  into  the  woods,  and,  joining  his 
daughter,  they  fled  with  all  speed  into  the  mountains. 

The  Giant,  after  dressing  the  reindeer,  went  into 
the  tent  to  visit  his  sweetheart. 

"Now,  my  little  darling,"  said  he,  "put  the  kettle 
over  the  fire." 

But  no  move  in  the  corner. 

"  Oh,  the  little  dear  is  bashful,  I'll  have  to  do  it 
myself  then,"  said  he. 

After  the  pot  had  been  boiling  awhile  he  again 
addressed  the  object  in  the  corner : 

"  Now  my  girl,  you  may  cleave  the  marrow  bone," 
but  still  no  response. 

"  My  little  one  is  bashful,  then  I  must  do  it  myself," 
thought  he. 

When  the  meat  was  cooked  he  tried  again  : 

"  Come,  now,  my  dear,  and  prepare  the  meat." 
But  the  bride  was  as  bashful  as  before,  and  did  not  stir. 

"  Gracious !  how  bashful  she  is.  I  must  do  it  my- 
self," repeated  the  Giant. 

When  he  had  prepared  the  meal  he  bade  her  come 
and  eat,  but  without  effect.  The  bride  remained  mo- 
tionless in  her  corner. 


LAPPLAND.  323 

"The  more  for  me,  then,"  thought  he,  and  sat 
himself  to  the  repast  with  a  good  appetite.  When 
he  had  eaten,  he  bade  his  bride  prepare  the  bed. 

"  Ah,  my  love,  are  you  so  bashful  ?  I  must  then  do 
it  myself,"  said  the  simple  Giant. 

"  Go  now  and  retire."  No,  she  had  not  yet  over- 
come her  bashfulness,  whereupon  the  Giant  became 
angry  and  grasped  the  object  with  great  force. 

Discovering  how  the  Lapp  had  deceived  him,  and 
that  he  had  only  a  block  of  wood  instead  of  a  human 
of  flesh  and  blood,  he  was  beside  himself  with  rage,  and 
started  in  hot  pursuit  after  the  Lapp.  The  latter,  how- 
ever, had  so  much  the  start  that  the  Giant  could  not 
overtake  him.  At  the  same  time  it  was  snowing,  which 
caused  the  Giant  to  lose  his  way  in  the  mountains. 
Finally  he  began  to  suffer  from  the  cold.  The  moon 
coming  up,  he  thought  it  a  fire  built  by  the  Lapp,  and 
at  once  set  out  on  a  swift  run  toward  it,  but  he  had 
already  run  so  far  that  he  was  completely  exhausted. 
He  then  climbed  to  the  top  of  a  pine,'  thinking  thereby 
to  get  near  enough  to  the  fire  to  warm  himself,  but  he 
froze  to  death  instead,  and  thus  ends  the  story. 


.A  poor  Lapp  once  ran  into  the 
hands  of  a  Giant,  by  'whom  he 
knew  he  would  be  devoured  if  he 
could   not   conceive    some    means   of 
outwitting  him.     To  this  end  he  there- 
fore proposed  that  they  have  a  contest 
of  strength,   the   test  to   be   that   they 
should  butt  against  a  tree  and  see  which 
could  drive  his  head  farthest  into  it.    He 

224 


LAPPLAND.  225 

who  could  make  the  deepest  impression  must,  of  course, 
be  the  stronger. 

The  Giant  was  first  to  make  the  trial.  Taking  his 
stand  some  distance  from  a  tall  pine,  with  a  spring  for- 
ward he  drove  his  head  with  furious  force  against  the 
trunk,  but  the  most  careful  search  did  not  discover  a 
mark  caused  by  the  blow.  The  Lapp  then  said  that  he 
would  show  his  strength  the  next  day.  During  the 
night  he  made  a  large  hollow  in  the  trunks  of  several 
trees  and  re-covered  the  cavities  nicely  with  the  bark. 
Next  morning,  when  the  contest  was  renewed,  the 
Lapp  ran  from  tree  to  tree,  into  each  of  which  he 
thrust  his  head  to  his  ears.  The  Giant  looked  on, 
thoroughly  crestfallen  at  the  exhibition  of  strength, 
but  proposed  that  they  have  another  trial.  This  time 
he  who  could  throw  an  ice  ax  highest  into  the  air 
should  be  declared  the  victor.  The  Giant  threw  first, 
and  to  such  a  height  that  the  ax  was  almost  lost  to  sight. 

u  That  was  a  miserable  throw,"  said  the  Lapp. 
"  When  I  throw  it  shall  be  so  high  that  it  will  lodge 
upon  a  cloud." 

"  No,  my  dear !"  shouted  the  Giant.  "  Eather  let 
me  acknowledge  myself  the  \veaker,  than  lose  my 
splendid  ax."  Thus  again  the  Lapp  came  off  champion. 

The  next  day,  as  the  Lapp  and  the  Giant  were  out 
in  company,  the  Lapp  gathered  a  number  of  willow 
twigs  and  began  twisting  them  together. 

"  What  are  you  about  to  do  with  those  ?"  asked 
the  Giant. 

"I  mean  to  carry  away  your  treasure  house," 
answered  the  Lapp. 


236  LA.PPLAND. 

"  Oh,  my  son,"  sighed  the  Giant,  u  let  me  retain  my 
house,  and  I  will  fill  your  hat  with  silver." 

"  Very  well,"  replied  the  Lapp. 

While  the  Giant  was  away  after  the  silver,  the  Lapp 
dug  a  pit,  cut  a  hole  in  his  hat  crown  and  sat  the  hat 
over  the  pit. 

"  It's  a  big  hat  you  have,"  complained  the  Giant. 

" Fill  it  up!"  shouted  the  Lapp.  "  Otherwise  I'll 
throw  you,  as  I  would  have  done  the  ice  ax,  up  into 
the  clouds."  And  the  Giant  was  compelled  to  give  the 
Lapp  such  a  sum  of  money  that  he  was  ever  after  a  rich 
man. 


Kadnihaks  are  a  kind  of  spirit  which  dwell  under- 
ground, at  times,  showing  themselves  to  man  dressed 
in  red  attire,  and  having  long  hair  which  resembles 
green  flax  and  reaches  to  their  waists.  Like  the  Lapps, 
they  have  reindeer  and  clogs,  and  like  them  also  in 
this  and  their  dress,  their  language  and  songs  are  the 
same.  Some  of  their  songs  have  even  been  learned  and 
are  called  "  Kadniha-vuolle." 

It  happened  in  the  last  century  that  a  great  num- 
ber of  the  mountain  Lapps  had  pitched  their  tents  in 
the  vicinity  of  Qvikkjokk.  It  was  at  the  season  when 
the  court  and  fair  were  in  session  in  Jokkmokk.  In 
the  absence  of  the  older  people,  in  attendance  at  court 
or  fair,  the  youths  and  maids  remaining  at  home  let 
themselves  out  for  a  good  time  at  all  kinds  of  games. 
An  old  Lapp  woman,  knowing  that  the  Kadnihaks,  or 
Trolls,  living  in  the  adjacent  mountains  would  not  tol- 
erate such  a  confusion,  warned  the  young  people,  but 
in  vain. 

Evening  came,  and  all  retired  to  rest,  but  it  had 
hardly  become  quiet  in  the  Lapp  tents  before  the  Kad- 
nihaks were  heard  to  be  astir.  The  tinkling  of  bells, 
cries  of  men,  barking  of  dogs,  noise  of  reindeer  and 
a  general  commotion  prevailed  on  all  sides. 

The  Lapps  were  seized  with  fear  and  trembling. 

The  old  Lapp  woman  arose  from  her  bed  of  rein- 
deer skins  and  peeked  out  through  the  tent  door.  With 

337 


228  LAPPLAND. 

horror  she  saw  the  whole  tribe  of  sprites  marching 
straight  down  upon  the  camp.  No  time  was  to  be 
wasted.  She  threw  about  her  a  skin  and  hurried  out 
to  treat  with  the  angry  Trolls.  With  great  trouble 
and  promises  that  she  would  see  to  it  that  the  children 
would  conduct  themselves  better  in  the  future,  she  in- 
duced them  to  change  their  course^  thus  staying  the 
danger  the  camp  was  in  of  being  trampled  down. 
From  that  day  there  was  quiet  in  the  camp  as  long  as 
it  continued  there. 


Lfc-  r 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below, 
or  on  the  date  to  which  renewed.  Renewals  only: 

Tel.  No.  642-3405 

;wals  may  be  made  4  days  priod  to  date  due. 
'  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


JUM 

DEC"  2 11984" 


LD21A-60m-8,'70 
(N8837slO)476 — A-32 


Gei. 

Universit, 
Ben 


YC  27616' 


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